The storm brewing over Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to SAD leader Bikram Majithia on Friday virtually turned into a hurricane with not just the rivals but his own ally coming out in the open against the Delhi Chief Minister.
Kejriwal’s apology had a cascading effect in AAP’s Punjab unit with Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann announcing to quit as State party chief, followed by his deputy Aman Arora too calling it quits. AAP’s ally in Punjab - Lok Insaaf Party - too announced to part ways.
If that was not enough, majority of the party MLAs, out of total 20, are seriously contemplating forming a breakaway faction.
Announcing the split, LIP president Simarjit Singh Bains claimed that out of 20 AAP MLAs, 15 are in favour of forming a new party in Punjab. LIP has two MLAs. Simarjit minced no words to say that probably there is a “back-door dealing” and “Kejriwal has done ‘gaddari with the people of Punjab”.
The developments have already divided the party’s Punjab unit into two factions - one of those owing allegiance to Delhi leadership and another of those supporting the State leadership headed by Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Sukhpal Khaira.
Angered over Kejriwal’s “meek surrender”, the AAP has decided to virtually launch a “non-corporation movement” with the party leadership in Delhi. “Our group will not cooperate with the Delhi leadership. And if they want to have any meeting with us, they would come here. None of us would go to Delhi,” declared Khaira.
What is more! Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, giving wind to the controversy, flashed copies of the Special Task Force’s (STF) report “against” Majithia apparently to mount pressure on the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to initiate action against the SAD leader.
Majithia, who was rejoicing on the “victory of truth” over “smear campaign” against him a day before, has once again pushed back to the wall on Friday with the rival political parties reiterating their demand for probing his links in the drug trade.
Sidhu - known to be Majithia’s arch rival since his BJP days - has demanded SAD leader’s immediate arrest besides a thorough probe on the basis of report submitted by the STF on drugs in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the seal cover, on Thursday, containing “prima facie fact findings” on the allegations against Majithia in the drug case.
A day after Kejriwal submitted an apology letter in the Amritsar court during the proceedings of defamation case against him, Majithia thanked the Almighty that “this chapter has ended and the truth has prevailed” - only to realise that all allegations against him will stand as it is.
Questioning Kejriwal’s hurry for tendering an “unconditional apology” to Majithia, Punjab Congress vice-president and MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that it does not exonerate SAD leader “of the crime of patronising and promoting drug trade in Punjab and he already stood guilty in people’s court”.
“What is the haste and hurry in beating such a shameful retreat when the investigations are going on and the court is yet to pronounce its judgment,” Randhawa asked Kejriwal.
Kejriwal’s decision was also condemned by AAP’s entire State unit maintaining that it has not only “betrayed” party workers but also the people of Punjab.
“I had left my home seat of Mohali where I had got maximum votes in MP elections and fought against Bikram Majithia against all odds on being asked by Arvind Kejriwal because Punjab was suffering from drug problem. Today, I am feeling very sad and betrayed,” said AAP’s senior leader Himmat Singh Shergill, who had unsuccessfully contested from Majitha in 2017 polls.
Majority of AAP MLAs too, except those owing allegiance to Delhi leadership, are seriously contemplating to break-away and form another faction, as per approved under anti-defection law, under Khaira’s leadership.
As per rules, MLAs need two-third majority to form a breakaway faction. And in AAP’s case, the figure would be 14. “We have the majority to form another faction, but we may take decision after further deliberations in the coming days,” a senior AAP MLA told The Pioneer.
At the same time, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister and AAP’s Punjab’s unit in-charge Manish Sisodia said that all party leaders are together and talks will be held to resolve the matter.
“We will hold talks with the AAP leaders who tendered their resignations and the ones who are protesting against Kejriwal’s move...All are together, we will talk to them, they will understand,” said Sisodia.