‘Outsiders vs Punjabis debate cooked up’

Sarbjit Dhaliwal & Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh,September 6

“Akali leadership and their lackeys are trying to make it a Delhi versus Punjab, topiwalas versus Punjabis, insiders versus outsiders issue. But this  propaganda is not cutting ice with the electorate,” claims AAP’s national organisational head Durgesh Pathak, accused by party rebels and rivals of sidelining local Punjabi leaders and conspiring to remove Sucha Singh Chhotepur as state convener.  

“I meet about 300 APP volunteers daily. They have never treated me as a Delhiwala or topiwala. The day a volunteer tells meI am an outsider, I will leave Punjab within minutes,” he says, adding that they had been assigned the task to win Punjab and when this was accomplished, “Sanjay and I will move to  another state to build the party structure there.” Pathak, whose hero is Argentine Marxist revolutionary  Che Guevara, says: “Following in the footsteps of martyr  Bhagat Singh, we are trying to change the country’s political system. We have no doubt that the Punjabis have the courage to lead this battle.”

Pathak, a post-graduate in English from Allahabad University, is seen as the party’s main strategist. “ If voted to power, leaders who have looted Punjab will not be spared. They will be jailed.” He is sure the Akalis will do likewise, if they win the poll. He says AAP will announce the CM-candidate two months ahead of the elections. Asked about  Gurpreet Ghuggi’s appointment as state convener, he says:  “His calm and quiet approach to work will be beneficial for the party.”