Hindustan Times (Jalandhar)

Will revamp AAP setup in Punjab: Kejri

Says will launch movement against Capt govt for its ‘failure’ to fulfil poll promises

- HT Correspond­ent letterschd@hindustant­imes.com

AMRITSAR : Three months after the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) rout in the Punjab assembly elections, Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal reached Amritsar on Monday and stressed the need for strengthen­ing the party’s organisati­onal structure in the state.

The Delhi chief minister, who landed at the Amritsar airport in the morning and headed for the Golden Temple to pay obeisance, said the AAP’s new Punjab unit will pacify the annoyed party workers and start an “andolan” (movement) against the Captain Amarinder-led Congress government for its “failure” to fulfil the pre-poll promises.

Later, addressing party workers, Kejriwal said: “More powers will be given to boothlevel party workers, presidents of village-level committees in the new party setup. All party MLAs will be asked to redress party workers’ grievances on priority basis.”

SAYS MORE POWERS WILL BE GIVEN TO WORKERS AT BOOTH LEVEL, PRESIDENTS OF VILLAGELEV­EL PANELS

‘CAPT AMARINDER SHOULD APOLOGISE’

“Amarinder had promised one job per family, farm debt waiver and even smartphone­s to the youth. But not even a single promise has been fulfilled to date,” he said. Referring to recent school board results, Kejriwal said, “Education level in the state is poor and farmers are still committing suicides.”

PARTY WORKERS FEEL ALIENATED: KHAIRA

Party’s Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira, who expressed displeasur­e when Bhagwant Mann was made the Punjab convener, said workers and volunteers were being ignored in taking important decisions within the party. “We need to give grassroots workers more say in the decision-making process,” he said.

INDISCIPLI­NE WON’T BE TOLERATED: MANN Addressing party workers,

Mann said: “Assembly poll results were not as per our expectatio­ns but we don’t have to give up hope. We need to form a strong party structure again. I will meet disgruntle­d workers and bring them back into the party fold.”

Warning that there was no room for indiscipli­ne in the party, he said action would be taken against workers and leaders found posting wrong informatio­n about party on the social media. Party MLAs, leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly HS Phoolka and party’s Punjab co-convener Aman Arora were also present.

Meanwhile, Congress workers waived black flags at Kejriwal’s convoy as he was heading towards the private resort.

 ?? GURPREET SINGH/HT ?? Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal with other party leaders at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday.
GURPREET SINGH/HT Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal with other party leaders at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday.

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