Beating around the bush since its resounding defeat in 2017 Punjab polls by blaming electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has finally decided to learn lessons from its mistakes.
AAP’s Punjab unit has decided to start from the scratch — the first decision after the change of guard in the State.
The party, in its first meeting under the newly appointed State president Bhagwant Mann on Monday, has decided to dissolve all units from the block level to the State committees in the State, and reconstituting the same before long.
“The new structure would be in place within a month or so…To strengthen the party, we will learn from our past mistakes,” said Mann.
As of now, just two office bearers will be holding their posts — Bhagwant Mann as the state president and Aman Arora as his co-president.
For reconstituting the party’s organizational structure, the meeting decided that co-president and Sunam MlA Aman Arora will meet the party workers, volunteers and office bearers throughout state, down to the grassroot level, and gather suggestions regarding new office bearers.
In this regard, he would kick-start his state-wide tour under ‘AAP Apnya Naal’ programme from May 18.
“I will start Punjab tour from May 18 and will try to interact with the volunteers throughout state. Suggestions will be taken from the volunteers for future course of action and formation of new body in the state,” said Arora.
Notably, the AAP high command had appointed Mann as party’s state unit head in Punjab he previous week, and Arora as his deputy. The appointments triggered a rebellion within the party as the resignations flowed in, coupled with open criticism by the senior leaders.
Soon after the announcement, party’s MlA from Bholath Sukhpal Khaira resigned from the party post of spokesperson and Chief Whip in Punjab Vidhan Sabha in protest. Two days after, party’s former state convener Gurpreet Ghuggi, too, part ways along with several other prominent leaders.
Journalist-turned-politician and Kharar MlA Kanwar Sandhu too expressed unhappiness over Mann’s appointment.
In another significant decision, the party has decided to form a disciplinary committee to look after issues related to anti-party activities of the member.
The Committee will keep a vigil on anti-party activities on print, electronic, social media etc and will act against who found guilty.
AAP has also decided to contest the impending Punjab civic body polls and also Gurdaspur by-poll, necessitated after the death of sitting BJP MP and Bollywood star Vinod Khanna.
The meeting, that continued for hours together from morning till evening, was attended by all party MlAs including Khaira, legislature party leader HS Phoolka, along with party candidates, zone co-coordinators and other office bearers.
Spokesperson said that during the meeting, positive and negative feedbacks regarding Vidhan Sabha elections were discussed.
Mann maintained that the “rumors and misinformation” being spread by the Congress, SAD and BJP will not affect AAP and party will bounce back with more strength.
“AAP will continue to raise the issues related to public importance and will perform the duty of opposition leader with great responsibility,” he said.
Responding to the query regarding infighting, Mann said that party is like a family and there can be difference of opinion and it will be sorted out very soon. “Efforts will be made to console those got separated from the party in the past,” he said.
Khaira said that the party will fight for the rights of people collectively and will not let the government to run away from its responsibilities. “AAP will create pressure on the government to act against the corrupt minister of previous Akali government,” he added.
Accusing Capt Amarinder Government of following the footsteps of Akali government, the leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Phoolka said that in what capacity the Chief Minister’s wife, Parneet Kaur, is inaugurating the projects in Punjab.
“Neither she neither is an MlA nor holds any constitutional post, then how can she inaugurate electric cremation ground thenIJ” asked Phoolka.
Notably, Preneet has inaugurated a cremation chamber despite Chief Minister Capt Amarinder’s instructions to the Ministers and MlAs to desist from raising any inauguration stones.
Interestingly, nothing was spent by the government on the lPG crematorium and a private NGO had spent all the money. After the media raised queries, the inaugural stone was covered.