Punjab will get new political front in 2 weeks: Dr Gandhi
CHANDIGARH: Taking a step further in his decision to float a Punjab-centric political outfit, Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, who was suspended by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has announced that five other political groups in the state have decided to be part of the yet-tobe-named front that will field candidates in the next year’s assembly polls.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Gandhi lashed out at the AAP, blaming its Delhi leaders for ruining the work done by its volunteers in the state. Gandhi said he was appealing to all those political workers and activists of the state who were not ready to accept the “subedar style” of politics in Punjab. “We will name the outfit in a fortnight,” he said.
“There is no difference between the AAP, Congress and Akalis. The AAP began as a noble party but it has turned out to be just like the others. Tickets have been given on considerations other than merit and hard work. And the party is entirely controlled by subedars in Delhi — Sanjay Singh and Durgesh Pathak. At the top is Arvind Kejriwal, who runs the party like a one-man show. If I could, I would throw Kejriwal out of the party to clean it up,” he said.
When asked why he had not resigned from such a party, Gandhi said the AAP had a limited role to play in his winning from Patiala. “I have promised my electorates that I will serve them as long as I can. I had made some promises that I am trying to fulfil. The AAP, however, is free to throw me out,” he said.
He said a host of leaders in the state were keen on becoming a part of the front. “The groups that have joined us include Democratic Swaraj Party, Swabhimaan Party, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Party, Apna Punjab and the AAP Volunteers Forum,” he said.
Former bureaucrat, Hardip Singh Kingra, who resigned from the AAP a day before it released its first set of candidates, was also present at the press conference.
Gandhi said Navjot Singh Sidhu was welcome to join them and he was also in talks with the Bains brothers’ (independent MLAs Balwinder and Simerjit Singh Bains) Insaaf Team in Ludhiana. “Punjabis reposed faith in Shiromani Akali Dal, but it has reneged on the interest and future of Punjab. A new regional party is now needed that will be controlled by Punjabis.” he said.