Warring AAP factions meet today for unity push
CHANDIGARH/SANGRUR: The two warring factions of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a meeting in Chandigarh on Tuesday to try and resolve their differences ahead of the 2019 parliamentary elections.
The meeting will be led by fivemember panels set up by the AAP leadership and the rebel group under Jagraon MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke and Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu, respectively, to iron out differences over autonomy for the state unit and other related issues.
“The meeting will discuss the possibility of unity within the two groups. The six resolutions passed at a volunteers’ convention in Bathinda on August 2 will be form the basis of discussion,” Sandhu told HT. The meeting venue is still to be finalised.
The AAP coordination panel has Manuke, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann and MLAs Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Rupinder Kaur Ruby and Kulwant Singh Pandori as members, whereas the rebel group will be represented by Sandhu, Nazar Singh Mansahia, Master Baldev Singh, Jagdev Singh Kamalu (all MLAs) and Suresh Sharma.
The meeting comes three months after eight of the 20 AAP MLAs revolted against the party’s central leadership in protest against the Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s removal from the post of leader of opposition in the state assembly. The dissidents held a workers’ meet, passing resolutions to declare the state unit autonomous, and then constituted their own political affairs committee for all state unit-related decisions.
The AAP, which exploded onto the political scene in Punjab by winning four seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, has been rocked by nonstop bickering, factionalism, suspensions and desertions in the past one year. Mann and some other party leaders are hopeful of bringing all party leaders, including those who have been suspended or expelled, together before the crucial polls next year.
CORE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS POLL PLAN
The 22-member AAP core committee will also meet in Chandigarh on Tuesday to discuss the party strategy for LS elections and other organisational issues.
Leader of opposition and Dirba MLA Harpal Singh Cheema said the meeting will be chaired by Budhlada MLA Budh Ram.
“The committee will start the process of selection of candidates for parliamentary elections and organisational responsibilities will be fixed during the meeting,” said Cheema.