The clouds of separation looming large over the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been cleared, at least for the time being.
AAP’s State unit co-in-charge Aman Arora and the leader of its legislature party Sukhpal Khaira on Tuesday made it clear that the party is one, and there was no question of splitting up.
The assertion assumes significance as the State party had expressed a strong objection to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to SAD leader Bikram Majithia for making “unfounded” allegations against him in the run up to 2017 polls, with a section of party MLAs, led by Khaira, seriously contemplating to split up.
However, things changed following a meeting with Delhi leadership, including Kejriwal, on Sunday where the Delhi Chief Minister clarified the circumstances that led to the “apology”.
While Khaira still believed that Kejriwal has done wrong by seeking apology from Majithia, Arora on the other hand maintained that seeking apology has become compulsion for Kejriwal as he was facing several defamation cases affecting the party and also the state government’s work in the process.
“Even today I say that Kejriwal has done a wrong...It could be possible that he has some compulsions. But, many people of Punjab have taken a stand against Majithia and I am with them,” said Khaira.
Khaira, at the same time, demanded CBI probe into the drugs case, while claiming that the party’s fight against drugs is still on. Meanwhile, Arora announced that Kejriwal would campaign in Punjab for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and would also raise the issue of drugs.
Earlier, Khaira had maintained that after seeking apology, it would be very difficult for Kejriwal to enter Punjab.
“I still stand by my statement today, and I am against Majithia.
As far as Kejriwal ji is concerned, he is right in his place, and I am right in my place. He has tendered the apology after a lot of deliberation,” said Arora.
He added that they would not let the party split up, and “I still say that Majithia is a drug smuggler”. Our fight against drugs would continue, he added. Khaira, reacting to the allegations of breaking away the party and making attempts to capture six-year of hardwork, categorically said that he had never talked about splitting up the party.
“Many bootlickers are against me, and one can find such characters in every party...I never talked about breaking the party...I raised the issue of self-determination and it should be there,” said Khaira.
A day before, AAP MLA from Kotkapura Kultar Singh Sandhwan had accused Khaira, a former Congressman, for trying to “split” the party by pressurising the legislators to form a breakway faction and bringing a resolution in a meeting. He had also demanded that the party should take action against Khaira who violated the party’s code of discipline by making attempts to create a new outfit.
Earlier, party’s state youth wing president Harjoit Bains had also accused Khaira of making attempts to capture the state party unit and its workers who have built the party after six years of hard work, and merge it with the Congress for his personal interest.