AAP factions hold meet, try to iron out differences

THE TWO SIDES DECIDE

TO MEET AGAIN, NOT TO SPEAK AGAINST EACH OTHER IN PUBLIC

CHANDIGARH: The squabbling factions of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday showed first signs of putting aside their differences for a rapprochement ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The separate five-member coordination panels set up by the AAP state leadership and the rebel faction under Jagraon MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke and Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu, respectively, which met at Government Circuit House in Sector 39 here, discussed the demand for “khudmukhtyari” (autonomy) and other contentious issues.

The meeting that lasted oneand-a-half hours ended with an assurance to have another discussion. Both sides termed the talks “amicable and positive”. Sandhu, who heads the fivemember committee set by the dissident camp, said they had a detailed discussion which went off well. “We will meet again after talking to other leaders in our groups. They (pro-Delhi leaders) will have a discussion in their core committee. We will talk to our political affairs committee on this,” he said.

Asked if six resolutions passed by the rebel camp at a volunteers’ meet in Bathinda to declare the state unit “autonomous” were also discussed, Sandhu said the discussion covered all issues, and there were some sticking points also. However, he refused to go into details.

“Reps of both factions of @AAPPunjab met on Tuesday to discuss irritants which caused fragmentation within state unit, learn from past mistakes, rebuild a structure to provide a viable alternative to people of Punjab. Both decided to hold wider consultations and revert (sic),” Sandhu tweeted after the meeting.

Manuke, who is deputy leader of AAP legislature party, said,“The two sides agreed on many issues and have decided not to speak against each other in public.” She was accompanied by Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Kulwant Singh Pandori, whereas the dissident camp was represented by Sandhu, Master Baldev Singh, Jagdev Singh Kamalu (all MLAs) and Gurpartap Singh Khushalpur.

The attempt to break the ice is a big step forward for the two groups that have been locked in a bitter battle from the time eight of the 20 party legislators revolted against the party’s state and central leadership in July this year.