Eyeing to form the Government in Punjab after 2017 State Assembly polls, the State unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is disintegrating.
Days after the three put of four party parliamentarians raised the banner of revolt against the party’s State leadership and exclusion of its disciplinary panel head, a senior party leader in the State blamed one of the MP for being hand-in-gloves with the ruling Akalis.
At the same time, party’s State convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who is also under attack of the party leaders, on Wednesday made a last much-needed attempt to resolve the escalating infighting within the party by appealing the party leaders to refrain from airing their grievances in public.
Party’s MPs, Dr Dharam Vira Gandhi, Harinder Singh Khalsa, and Prof Sadhu Singh, had shot off a communique to the party high command alleging that State party convener Chhotepur and party affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh would ruin the party. They expressed their resentment over appointment of zonal heads without consulting them.
Khalsa even went a step ahead to publically slammed party convener Arvind Kejriwal for his “dictatorial” way of running the party last week. He was supported by Patiala MP Dr Gandhi.
Stepping in, party’s State unit legal cell head Himmat Singh Shergill on Wednesday alleged that party’s Fatehgarh Sahib MP Khalsa had been “bought over” by the Badal family.
Shergill, party’s candidate from Anandpur Sahib for 2014 lok Sabha elections, said: “The Badal family is going all out to sabotage AAP in Punjab. SAD fears AAP’s success in 2017 assembly elections,”
At the same time, he made it clear that his allegations against Khalsa are his “independent opinion”.
Seeing things going out of hand, especially when the party is hopeful of forming the next government in Punjab, Chhotepur asked the disgruntled leaders to come together “to present a cohesive front”.
He also requested all the party volunteers and organization team, especially Khalsa and Dr Gandhi, to “forget the minor heart burns and put all their zeal in taking the party forward for a firm take off for Mission 2017”.
Chhotepur, speaking on recent developments in the party, said that the party is supreme and will ever remain so and the party discipline is uppermost and which cannot be compromised at any cost.
“Of late, two party MPs Dr Gandhi and Khalsa in particular, have been openly criticizing the party senior leadership responsible for party organization in the press using very harsh and inappropriate language…I would like them to realize that they were nothing, like me, before party adopted us and Punjabi’s love for AAP and dissatisfaction with the ruling Akali-BJP combine and hatred for failed Congress gave us the win and made us MPs,” he said.
He cautioned that when one is in the party, one should not harm its interests at such a crucial juncture by raising issues which are meant only for in-house discussions. “Party's senior leadership, especially Arvind Kejriwal, has always heard their grievances very intently,” he said.
Justifying the new appointments during party’s reorganisation, Chhotepur said that majority of representatives suggested by the MPs have been given responsibilities as per their merit, commitment, experience in dealing with masses and political acumen in the new set up but nobody can ever be fully satisfied.
“When the time is now staring in the face for consolidation of party’s rank and file in Punjab, these two MPs should not indulge in wild allegations and mud-slinging, especially against persons who are committed to the cause of the party, who have left their homes, jobs and professions to guide Punjab team as they have experience of white washing all kinds of opposition as they did in Delhi Assembly elections by winning 67 out of 70 seats,” he said.