AAP forms 5member committee to broker peace with rebels

Khaira says Kejriwal not keen on unity in party, warns of forming grassroot setup after Oct 24

CHANDIGARH: After sharing stage with rebel leader Sukhpal Khaira during the Bargari protest on Sunday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday formed a five-member coordination panel under deputy leader of Opposition Sarabjit Kaur Manuke to broker peace with the rebel group.

The decision was taken at the core committee meeting of the party here. The other members of the coordination panel are Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann and MLAS Meet Hayer, Rupinder Kaur Ruby and Kulwant Singh Pandori.

The move comes weeks after the Khaira faction formed a fivemember panel on September 24 to resolve their differences after he unfurled banner of revolt against Kejriwal on being sacked as leader of Opposition.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Khaira said the five-member panel will hold discussions with AAP state leaders to resolve differences under framework of resolutions passed by them at the Bathinda convention, including autonomy for the state unit.

The rebel group comprising eight of party’s 20 MLAS in Punjab also gave a veiled warning of forming its grassroot organisational set-up after a meeting of its 15-member political affairs committee

(PAC) on October 24.

“Neither AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal nor his deputy Manish Sisodia have made any effort to broker peace during their Punjab visits,” Khaira said.

On October 3, Sangrur MP Mann and leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema had announced formation of a 22-member committee, comprising MLAS, two MPS and party leaders, for “independently” taking decisions in connection with state issues.

“This core committee can form a sub-committee to reach out to Khaira group to call truce with them,” Mann had then said.

But the two factions went

their own way on October 7. Khaira held a protest march to Bargari to show solidarity with protesters seeking action against culprits of sacrilege and police firing incidents of 2015 and Cheema and other MLAS sat with the Sikh radicals at the Bargari dharna.

Rebel MLA Kanwar Sandhu said on demand of volunteers, they would be appointing district chiefs, presidents of different wings, halqa in-charges and village committees.

But he did not close doors to peace talks saying these appointments would be ad hoc. “After that, we will launch our membership drive,” Sandhu said.