AAP suspends two rebel Punjab legislators

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday suspended rebel leaders Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Kanwar Sandhu from the party for “antiparty activities”, queering the pitch for a split in the party.

The disciplinary action against Khaira and Sandhu, MLAs from Bholath and Kharar, came 48 hours after AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was in Chandigarh on Thursday, stated that the party will take action against dissident leaders at the right time.

Khaira termed Kejirwal’s decision as dictatorial and announced to form a new front.

The AAP’s state core committee party, while announcing the duo’s suspension, said Khaira and Sandhu were “consistently indulging in anti-party activities and continuously attacking” central and state leadership. “The core committee has decided to suspend them with immediate effect after exhausting all the available avenues to assuage them and make them see reason,” it said in a brief statement. Though eight of the 20 party MLAs had rebelled against the party, it suspended the two most vocal critics who had become the face of the dissident group, hoping to try and wean away some of the others.

The Bholath MLA, who got a fillip after a march held by him and other like-minded groups from Kotkapura to Bargari on October 7 to show solidarity with radical Sikh organisations received a tremendous response, has been talking about floating a new front ahead of LS polls.