AAP’s Sanjay, Pathak quit Punjab posts

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 27

Within days of Punjab leaders flaying party convener Arvind Kejriwal for the handling of the state’s Assembly elections, senior AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Durgesh Pathak today resigned as Punjab’s political affairs in-charge and co-observer, taking responsibility for the party’s defeat. 

The resignations come close on the heels of AAP’s Delhi unit convener Dilip Pandey quitting over the defeat in the municipal polls.

Seeking greater autonomy, the Punjab leaders had sought an end to the Delhi leaders’ control over the state unit, blaming them for the poll debacle. Despite drawing huge crowds, the party could win only 20 seats whereas SAD-BJP, despite the anti-incumbency sentiment, won 18. 

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Both Sanjay and Pathak are Kejriwal confidants. He had been reluctant to remove them even though party workers had demanded their exit. Bhagwant Mann, Sangrur MP, and Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha HS Phoolka had blamed the party leadership’s decision not to name a CM candidate and not to allow popular leaders Manpreet Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu into the party fold for AAP’s dismal performance. While Sanjay had accompanied Kejriwal during his Punjab tours, Pathak was the poll strategist.

“I have resigned as co-observer of Punjab. I’ll continue as a volunteer within the organisation for a better India,” wrote Pathak. Sanjay tweeted he had quit as political affairs in-charge.

Welcoming the resignations, Phoolka said it would only strengthen the party. Chief whip Sukhpal Khaira, who led the revolt against the Delhi lobby, said the party had acted in a truly democratic fashion.