Amidst the demand of a “strong action” against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rebels — Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Kanwar Sandhu, the Punjab unit president Bhagwant Mann on Thursday stressed on making amends with the dissenters.
Mann, during the meeting with the party’s state office bearers including state co-president Dr Balbir Singh, leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema, MlA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, district presidents, zonal presidents, party wings’ heads among others, said that he would make an effort to “reach out to the leaders and would try to convince them”.
Maintaining that the “rebel” legislators were in touch with him, Mann expressed confidence that they will fall in the line soon and would work to strengthen the party.
The meeting, that discussed problems being faced by party at present and possible solution for same, primarily discussed the prevailing crisis and action against the rebels.
Majority of the state office bearers, attending the meeting, demanded for action against Khaira and Sandhu pressing for a “tough stance” against the dissidents for allegedly trying to “break” the party.
“In a meeting, the district presidents and zonal chiefs of Punjab unit has sought action against Khaira and Sandhu for trying to break the party,” confirmed Cheema adding that as of now, no decision has been taken on the demand.
Cheema said that an appeal was also made to Bholath MlA Khaira to jointly fight for the burning issues of Punjab.
Mann, AAP’s most popular face in Punjab, said that he will be meeting the people throughout the state in the coming days and would be holding meetings at Bathinda, Faridkot, Mansa, Moga and Sri Muktsar Sahib.
I would not let the people from other parties to break the party, declared Mann, who is also Sangrur MP.
Mann, addressing the party office bearers, said that this is the testing time for the party workers and “I am sure that the workers would not let me down”.
He also asked the NRI people to be aware people about “mischievous” ideas of few people to break the party.
At the same time, Mann made it clear that he did not need any position to raise the people’s voice. “I will talk to national convener Arvind Kejriwal about the issue,” he said.
Talking about the viral audio tape against him, Mann said that his approach was to pacify agitating people and request them to avoid distrupting Arvind Kejriwal rally.
SISODIA’S AUG 13 VISIT POSTPONED
AAP’s meeting and a mega rally scheduled for August 13, in reply to the rebel faction’s Bathinda convention, has been postponed. Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister and party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia was scheduled to address the party workers at Jalandhar.
Announcing the same, Bhagwant Mann said that the meeting had been cancelled due to Sisodia’s busy schedule.
leader of opposition Cheema said that because of some pressing engagements, “Sisodia ji will not be able to hold a meeting of block president, district presidents, zonal president at Jalandhar on August 13. It has now been postponed and new date will soon be announced,”.
The meeting decided that the office bearers will go to Issru on August 15 to pay tribute to Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru.
BOOTA SINGH BAIRAGI REMOVED FROM AAP’S MEDIA PANElISTS’ lIST
Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday removed Boota Singh Bairagi from the official list of media panelists for his “acts of indicipline”.
AAP co-president Dr Balbir Singh said that Bairagi was warned for his activities of indicipline in past as well but failing to fall in the party line, the party took the decision to remove him from media panelists list.