AAP backs Kejriwal as oppn ups ante
TUG OF WAR Mishra remains AAP member, bound by party whip in Delhi assembly, party’s PAC refers matter to internal panel for probe What he is trying to do is to get expelled so that he can join the BJP or remain as an independent MLA. But the party doesn’t want to give him that opportunity...
after rebel MLA Kapil Mishra went to the anticorruption bureau (ACB) to submit documents on the water tanker scam, the top leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) decided to suspend him after a three-hour long meeting.
The political affairs committee meeting called at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence saw intense discussions on the possible action to be taken against Mishra.
But suspension from the party doesn’t mean Mishra seizes to be an AAP member. His suspension will remain in place till an inquiry is conducted into the matter.
The PAC has referred the matter to an internal committee for further probe. The committee is the same one that is looking into the case of suspended MLA Amanatullah Khan, who had accused senior leader Kumar Vishwas of being a BJP agent.
Sources said the move to suspend Mishra despite a direct attack on the party supremo is to ensure the former water minister remains bound by the party’s whip in the Delhi assembly.
“What he is trying to do is to get expelled so that he can join the BJP or remain as an independent MLA. But the party doesn’t want to give him that opportunity. By being suspended, he remains bound by party discipline inside the assembly,” a source said.
The last time the party expelled an MLA was in 2014 when Vinod Kumar Binny was thrown out for making “false allegations against party leadership”.
“We don’t want to do a repeat of Binny and give Mishra a chance. Party is not going to expel him at least now,” sources said.
Mishra has accused Kejriwal of taking ₹2 crore from health minister Satyendar Jain while also claiming that Jain settled a land deal worth ₹50 crore for the CM’s brother-in-law.
Mishra alleged Kejriwal and two of his associates have tried to shield former chief minister Sheila Diskhit in a water tanker scam.
The PAC has appointed Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann as convener and Sunam MLA Aman Arora as co-convener of the Punjab unit while approving a roadmap to revamp the party in Punjab.
Jagraon MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke, who comes from a Dalit community, will be made deputy leader of the AAP legislature party. The party also decided to constitute a separate PAC for Punjab so that the state unit can take decisions related to the state at their own level.
The PAC approved the new appointments after national convener Kejriwal held over fourhours meeting with Punjab MLAs, zone in charge and heads of frontal organizations of the Punjab unit of party, a party spokesman said.
The PAC has also decided to appoint four five presidents in Punjab. Two would be from Malwa region and one each from Doaba and Majha region, the spokesperson said.