AAP — A PARTY IN TROUBLE

Blame it on poor political diagnosis or inability to swallow bitter realities. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has not been a pleasant experience for many doctors who had joined the party born out of anti-corruption crusade on its national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s call. Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, Dr Balbir Singh, Dr Daljit Singh, Dr Amarjit Singh Thind and Dr Ranjodh Singh Sran were a few among the medical professionals who took the plunge. Barring state unit co-president Dr Balbir, others are either out of favour or have fallen out with the party leadership. While Patiala MP Dr Gandhi was suspended for “anti-party activities” three years ago for speaking against the “domineering” leadership, eye surgeon Dr Daljit, who had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections against present chief minister Amarinder Singh in Amritsar, had joined Congress in January 2017 after falling out with the AAP’S top brass. He passed away last December. Dr Thind, the party candidate in Shahkot in the 2017 assembly elections, also hopped to Congress before the byelection in the constituency this year. Dr Balbir, who is at the helm as the central leadership’s man, is currently locked in an ugly spat with former leader of opposition and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira. All symptoms of a party in trouble! ones. But how much time many of them are able to devote remains an issue. At least that was the indication from two bureaucrats last week. When a reporter of this newspaper met 2002batch IAS officer Baldeo Purushartha, who holds charge of secretary, governance reforms in addition to his substantive assignment of secretary, expenditure, to ask about the abolition of the Right to Service Commission and the new legislation, he did not have much to say. “It is an additional charge. I don’t know much,” he said before telling the journalist to speak to additional chief secretary, home and governance reforms. Another IAS officer Indu Malhotra, who is managing director, Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation and Punjab Financial Corporation, with additional charge as special secretary, NRI affairs, and commissioner, NRI affairs, also had a similar response, saying she does not know much about issues related to NRIS as he assumed charge only recently. Did they say governance reforms? alternative to addicts? Make efforts to bring them out of addiction medically and opium is no alternative of drugs,” he said, reacting to Dr Gandhi’s suggestion and support to it from Akali leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. Now that’s doctor versus doctor. Sector 39, Chandigarh. Both ministers want bigger houses in posh sectors where senior ministers stay. Sodhi even approached Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore, who is also Chandigarh administrator, with a request to allot him a kothi from the Union Territory quota. His request was rejected. Official accommodation in Sector 39 is below the standard of these ministers!