EX-J&K edu minister Harsh Dev joins AAP
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party suffered a jolt on Saturday when its chairperson, former education minister and threetime MLA from Ramnagar Harsh Dev Singh joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in New Delhi in the presence of party leader Sanjay Singh.
With this, the Panthers Party, which was raised by Harsh’s uncle Prof Bhim Singh in 1982, seems to be at the verge of disintegration.
Harsh is the third leader from the Panthers Party who joined the AAP.
Earlier, its former MLAS Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yash Paul Kundal had switched to the AAP.
Harsh had met AAP leaders on April 7 wherein they discussed the modalities and plans for joining.
Among others who joined the AAP along with Harsh were Panthers Party’s provincial president Rajesh Pandgotra, spokesperson Gagan Pratap Singh, Purushottam Parihar and Sudesh Dogra.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh recalled how Harsh, during his short tenure as education minister from 2002 to 2005, set up 11,000 schools and 22 degree colleges in J&K.
“Inspired by the policies of the AAP and Delhi model of governance, they are joining us today,” he added. Harsh said, “AAP’S work in the field of education, health, electricity and water is being appreciated everywhere. In J&K, we need a similar revolution for the people who are deprived of basic facilities. The problems plaguing J&K can only be addressed by eradicating corruption and ensuring good governance, like the AAP has done in Delhi.”
On April 7, amid internal strife in the Panthers Party, Harsh Dev had met AAP leader and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia at the capital, which had further fuelled speculation that he may join them.
It may be noted here that differences had cropped up between Harsh and his uncle Bhim Singh, who had recently lodged a complaint with
Jammu SSP claiming that the former had issued threats to him.
Consequently, a video also went viral on social media platforms where Harsh was seen apologising to his uncle, besides blaming him for ‘ruining’ the party for a ‘woman’, whom he didn’t name.
On February 13, the Panthers Party had suffered a setback when its entire Samba district unit resigned from their primary membership.
Samba district president Rajeshwar Singh had said the unit resigned due to the ‘reckless attitude’ of Harsh Dev. Jaya Mala, wife of Bhim Singh and one of the founder members of Panthers Party, had come out openly in favour of Harsh and pledged support to the former education minister.