AAP ousts nine leaders ‘working against party’

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Wednesday ousted nine senior party leaders, including some senior functionaries, who it said are involved in anti-party activities.

Most of those removed have been actively supporting Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was sacked as party’s Punjab convener last month. Among those removed include AAP’s national council member Paviter Singh and his wife, Lakhwinder Kaur, member of state women’s wing.

Paviter had accused party’s Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh and national organisation building head Durgesh Pathak of demanding `50 lakh for a ticket for his wife. Both Pathak and Sanjay had denied the charge.

Last week, Paviter alleged that he along with some other AAP members had gathered `1 lakh party donation which was deposited in the personal account of state co-in-charge and Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh in January last year. Jarnail Singh did not give him a receipt for it, he said.

Jarnail had said there was “nothing wrong” in gathering donations for an election as long as he was accounting for it before the election commission.

The other leaders, who have been removed from the party, are state media team member Colonel (retd) Jasjit Singh Gill, circle in-charge Jagtar Singh, Harpal Singh of NRI cell, Amandeep Singh Bains, Baljit Singh Chahal, Colonel (retd) Dalwinder Singh Grewal and Amandeep Singh Boparai.

Most of these were actively assisting Chhotepur in the creation of his new party. A party press release said these people “had maintained distance from the AAP in the recent past due to their anti-party activities. The AAP clarifies that the party has nothing to do with these leaders anymore”. PARTY EXPANDS STATE BODY The AAP on Wednesday expanded its organisational structure by appointing nine new vicepresidents and five joint secretaries. The vice presidents are Colonel CD Singh Kamboj, Balbir Singh Saini, Baldev Singh Azad, Boota Singh Ashant, Col CM Lakhanpal, Inderbir Singh Nijjer, Mohan Singh Phalianwala, Mehar Singh Malli (Mohali) and Dalbir Singh Dhillon.

Major Singh, Varinder Singh Khara, Harinder Singh Amritsar, Lalit and Sarika Verma were appointed joint secretaries. Jaideep Singh Samrala has been appointed the head of the volunteer welfare and management wing. Samrala is working as the party’s national joint secretary.

SAD LEADER JOINS AAP

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and chairman of Dhaliwal market committee, Wazir Singh Lally, on Wednesday joined the AAP. State convener Gurpreet Ghuggi said Lally is among few SAD leaders who remained taintless in their political career despite being part of the “corrupt Akali regime”.

Lally was also circle jathedar of SAD and three-time sarpanch of Sandhar village.