AAP may pick Khaira as Leader of Oppn

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal will preside over a meeting of 20 party MLAs tomorrow to discuss the Punjab election results and choose the Leader of the Opposition.

Senior AAP leaders and legislators Sukhpal Khaira, HS Phoolka and Kanwar Sandhu are the front-runners for the post.

“Khaira is likely to be picked as he is a two-time MLA and has been part of Assembly proceedings,” a party leader said on the condition of anonymity.

The party may take a call on whether to approach the Election Commission over the “unreliability” of electronic voting machines (EVMs) or move court over the issue. Kejriwal has already sought the use of ballot paper in the ensuing Delhi MC elections.

The meeting will also be attended by the heads of various wings and committees of the party’s state unit, besides Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, state political affairs incharge Sanjay Singh and national organisation head Durgesh Pathak.

“AAP will not keep mum on issues of public interest. We will expose the wrongdoings of the government and the leaders,” said party spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira.

Kharar MLA and head of the party’s Manifesto Committee Kanwar Sandhu said the socio-political system in the state was on the verge of collapse, adding that AAP would continue to raise the voice of the common man. He said the new government must reopen the cases of atrocities committed by the Akalis during their 10-year rule and those responsible for killing the innocent should be put behind the bars.

Khaira and Sandhu alleged that there was no difference between the Congress and Akalis when it came to terrorising people while in power.

Condemning the killing of an Akali leader of Gurdaspur district, allegedly by a Congressman, they said the ruling party’s leaders had started showing their true colours even before the formation of the government.

Sandhu said depoliticising the police department was the need of the hour.