A day after Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal asked Punjab unit leaders to leave aside the party’s flag and agenda and support the ongoing farmers’ movement at all levels, the state party unit on Monday said that the “message” will be conveyed to all leader and volunteers at various levels.
“This message of Arvind Kejriwal is being conveyed by the party to the leaders and volunteers at all levels,” said Punjab party affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh.
Reacting to the ongoing farmers’ movement, Singh said that AAP was the first political party in the country opposing the anti-agriculture black laws at all levels since its drafting.
“AAP's national convener has given clear directions to the party leaders in Punjab and in all states that the farmers’ movement is a pious and non-political movement for the survival of the ‘annadatas’ and the preservation of the land...So, for further strengthening and upliftment of this movement, every leader and volunteer of the party should set aside the party's flag and agenda and continue to support this movement at all levels with body, heart, and money until the farmers return home waving the victory flag,” he added.
Singh said that the Modi Government should give up its stubbornness and repeal all the three anti-agriculture black laws.
Notably, a day before, Kejriwal had met party leaders from Punjab, including the state unit president Bhagwant Mann, legislators led by Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, state affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh and co in-charge Raghav Chadha, among others.
Kejriwal, during a marathon meeting to chalk out the party’s strategy on AAP’s Mission-2022 that lasted for about three hours in New Delhi, discussed the ways to further strengthen the ongoing farmers’ agitation, and sought detailed suggestions for the same.
During the meeting, Kejriwal had reiterated that the Central Government should immediately repeal the anti-agriculture black laws and should not introduce the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2021, in the Parliament.
MANPREET BADAL’S ALLY JOINS AAP
In a major blow to the Congress in the Malwa region, Bathinda’s prominent Congress leader and a close ally of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal Jagroop Singh Gill joined AAP on Monday along with hundreds of his associates.
After Gurmeet Singh Khudian who was a close associate of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Gill’s joining has given much needed boost to the AAP and a setback to the ruling Congress party.
Gill, the former chairman of Bathinda Improvement Trust, said: “We will support AAP in Malwa and in the entire Punjab, as the State awaits AAP government...Instead of playing politics, I would work to strengthen the party so that corruption would be eradicated from Punjab and closed factories would be reopened.”
Welcoming Gill and hundreds of his supporters, Cheema said that all those who want prosperity of Punjab are welcomed in the AAP. “The joining of Khudian and Gill in AAP has broke the back of the Congress party in Bathinda along with the entire Malwa region,” he said.
Gill has also been the president of the District Bar Association as well as the president of the Municipal Council. Apart from this, Gill has been a councillor since 1979 and is now a councillor for the seventh time.
JOLT TO BJP IN MAJHA
AAP served a major jolt to the BJP in Majha with its district vice-president Harwinder Singh Malli from Gurdaspur and district general secretary Harbans Singh, besides vice-president of Panchayati Raj, Mangal Singh Sahur (Dera Baba Nanak) joining the party on Monday.
Malli has held a number of important posts, including Mission Modi's block president and Dera Baba Nanak constituency in-charge.