Khaira, 8 AAP legislators raise a banner of revolt
Demand review of ‘undemocratic’ sacking, announce party volunteers’ convention at Bathinda on August 2
A day after he was fired from the post of the leader of opposition in Punjab assembly, Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira and eight other MLAs on Friday raised a banner of revolt against the top leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), demanding immediate review of the decision.
The defiant MLAs, who termed the sacking as “arbitrary and undemocratic”, announced a party volunteers’ convention at Bathinda on August 2 to decide their future strategy. They include Kanwar Sandhu (MLA from Kharar), Nazar Singh Manshahia (Mansa), Jagdev Singh Kamalu (Maur), Pirmal Singh (Bhadaur), Jagtar Singh Hissowal (Raikot), Master Baldev Singh (Jaitu), Rupinder Kaur Ruby (Bathinda Rural) and Jai Kishan Rori (Garshankar).
Before that, these MLAs will start halqa (constituency-level) meetings across the state from Saturday to drum up support. A letter was also shot off to national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to lodge their protest and seek his immediate intervention to end the crisis.
Khaira, whose ties with Delhi leaders have been uneasy ever since he opposed Kejriwal’s apology to SAD’s Bikram Majithia in a drug allegation-related defamation case, was replaced by the party with Dirba MLA Harpal Cheema on Thursday. Riled by his removal, Khaira said he was not interested in the post, but the arbitrary action must be reviewed. “Party bikhar rahi hai (is collapsing). You cannot take such action by ignoring democratic processes and announce it on Twitter,” said Khaira Bholath MLA, insisting that he would remain in the party and work for strengthening it.
Though he had planned to go “live” on Facebook early in the morning in his trademark style, Khaira later opted for the press conference in which eight of the 20 party legislators and other leaders supporting him were paraded as a show of strength. He held a meeting with most of them at his private house, not the official bungalow allotted to him as the leader of opposition, before criticising the “arbitrary” move.
Though support for the sacked leader appears to have rattled the Delhi leadership and frantic calls were made to ascertain if any other legislators were also headed his way, there is no immediate threat of split to the party. The AAP has 20 MLAs and any split without attracting the antidefection law is only possible if 14 (two-thirds of the total strength) of them come together to form a separate unit.
While Kejriwal and his team are not known to rollback decisions, a combative Khaira appears intent on taking the fight to them. He appealed to MLAs who didn’t come out in his support to hear the voice of their “antaratma” (inner soul) and decide. “I know your compulsions. Whenever any party MLAs were in trouble due to allegations of goonda tax or illegal mining, I supported them. What is my fault? That I fought against land, mining, drug and transport mafias,” he asked.
The party has been hit frequent upheavals caused by indiscipline and lack of trust since the state assembly elections last year with Thursday’s attempt of the leadership to assert its authority being only the newest flashpoint.
The move to hold convention is not done. It is the prerogative of the party leadership, not a group of MLAs. I will call a meeting of zonal presidents in next 34 days to discuss the issue. BALBIR SINGH, Punjab AAP co-chief
A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) removed Sukhpal Singh Khaira from the post of the leader of opposition in the Punjab assembly, state unit co-president Balbir Singh said that Khaira’s ‘vocal approach in handling party issues’ cost him the post.
He added that his proximity with Bains brothers also contributed to the downfall. Balbir, Khaira’s bête-noire in the party, added, “There was huge resentment among party MLAs and workers over Khaira’s style of working.”
Incidentally, Khaira and Balbir have been at loggerheads since Khaira criticised AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal for tendering an apology to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia to settle a drug allegation-related defamation case. Balbir had also accused Khaira of taking money from party workers.
“Khaira’s indiscipline was one of the larger issues before the high command. Fifteen MLAs had expressed their resentment in writing before senior leaders,” Balbir said, adding that during Khaira’s stint, there had been multiple instances when he opposed party leaders.
“What was the point of sharing the stage and making a public appearance with Lok Insaaf Party chief Simarjeet Bains, when the AAP had parted ways with it. Issues that needed to be discussed within the party forum were exaggerated on videos
His acts of indiscipline irked party MLAs, the state leadership and even national leaders. BALBIR SINGH , AAP co-president
and on social media,”
Balbir claimed. “These were acts of indiscipline that irked party MLAs, the state leadership and even the national leaders. They took no time in taking the right decision,” the AAP co-president said, adding that the party MLAs and the state leadership had been taken into confidence.
BALBIR ACTED AS SAD, CONG AGENT: KHAIRA
Meanwhile, in his response, Khaira lambasted Balbir, telling HT over phone, “The AAP co-president is not working as a party leader. He worked as an agent of national AAP leaders, and of the Congress and the SAD.”
He added that Balbir had no right to question his style of working or his relationship with the Bains’ brothers. “Balbir is the culprit, who is actually destroying the AAP in the state,” Khaira alleged.