‘If selected, won’t run away from task’

CHANDIGARH Ahead of a possible shake-up of the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), party’s chief whip Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Saturday suggested that volunteers should be given a free hand in selecting the state convener.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has called a meeting of party MLAs at his residence in New Delhi on Monday to hold a discussion on restructuring the state unit after its loss in the Punjab assembly elections.

Referring to reports that the party was planning to make Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann as the Punjab convener, Khaira said he would support the move as Mann worked hard in the run-up to assembly polls. Khaira, however, said he would not run away from the responsibility if the party selects him instead.

“The party designation should be changed to president instead of convener as it is more suited to Punjab. Also, the state party chief should have a free hand in restructuring and fixing his own agenda to perform better,” said Khaira, adding the present incumbent Gurpreet Singh Waraich has no working committee or an executive body to function. “Can any party’s state unit function without a working committee?” he questioned.

“The USP of our party is the role of volunteers. Had the party consulted volunteers before choosing candidates for the assembly polls, the result would have been different,” said Khaira.

He also slammed the Captain Amarinder Singh government for “failing” to fulfil the promises made during the polls even 50 days after coming into power. “Why a white paper on debt waiver, why not waive loans in one go?” he said. “Only colours of flags and turbans have changed and there is not much difference between the Congress and the previous Akali-BJP government,” he said.