AAP MLAs protest outside Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in Chandigarh on Monday. (Photo: Jaipal Singh)
In a surprising turn of events, senior SAD leader Bikram Majithia, Monday visited the office of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab Vidhan Sabha and met the party MLAs in order to secure a common floor strategy in the House.
Majithia’s visit took place immediately after the first adjournment of the House when the session started at 2 pm.
All office staff and personal assistants of MLAs were turned out of the AAP office and were seen standing outside when the parleys between Majithia and AAP MLAs were on.
It is believed that Majithia made the visit in order to ensure that the protest against DGP Dinkar Gupta, for his remarks on Kartarpur Corridor, and Bharat Bhushan Ashu on alleged involvement with terrorists, on the floor of the House was coordinated between SAD-BJP alliance and AAP for maximum effect.
Both parties Monday forced several adjournments in the Vidhan Sabha over DGP’s comments as well as allegations levelled against Food and Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.
When contacted, AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition, Harpal Cheema, acknowledged that Bikram Majitha had visited the party office seeking common strategy. “Yes, he had come to our office. But we told him that we have our own strategy and they have their own,” he said.
AAP had consistently attacked Bikram Majithia in the run up to the 2017 Assembly polls and even later. Repeated allegations were levelled against Majithia for his alleged involvement in drug trade, a charge he vehemently denied, and they led to Majithia filing a criminal case against Arvind Kejriwal.
Kejriwal apologised to Majithia in March 2018 for making unfounded allegations and this led to a vertical split within AAP with several MLAs, led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, questioning the apology.