Delhi ‘durbar’ to hear AAP feud today

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

All eyes are on AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to resolve the ongoing crisis of Punjab versus Delhi leaders following the removal of Sucha Singh Chhotepur from the post of state convener. A meeting of the party’s political affairs committee, headed by Kejriwal, will be held tomorrow in Delhi where a decision on the post of convener can be taken. Tomorrow is also the last day of an ultimatum served by six of the 12 zonal heads in Punjab seeking to reinstate Chhotepur.

The beleaguered AAP leader, who had earlier sought a meeting with Kejriwal, has also adopted a tough stance saying the party has humiliated him enough.

While the problems on Punjab front are multiplying with each passing day, the Delhi team of AAP, deployed in Punjab, is now in the centre of controversy over some sting operations against them, which are likely to be released soon.

Screenshots of chat through WhatsApp between a Delhi leader and Gurlabh Singh of Mansa, who reportedly carried out the sting operation against Chhotepur, purpotedly showed Gurlabh telling the leader that he had “over 100 sting operations against the Delhi leaders in Punjab”. Sources close to Chhotepur alleged that Kejriwal did not take any action on the evidence against them.

Chhotepur’s supporter GS Kingra, who resigned in protest from AAP after not getting ticket from Faridkot, too, has claimed he will “expose” Delhi leadership via sting operations.

Manjit Singh Randhawa, whose organisation AAP Punjab is supporting Chhotepur, said the decision to resolve the issue was not in the hands of the leaders anymore. “There is resentment among state volunteers. They want Punjabi leadership. The matter can be resolved as per their will only,” he said.

Mediators claim that though serious efforts are on despite negative results to bring unity in the party, the ball is in the court of Kejriwal. Sources close to Kejriwal reveal that though he is disturbed at the unexpected counter-attack by Chhotepur and his supporters, he was in a dilemma over the next move. “It is a Hobson’s choice before Kejriwal. If he lets dissidence grow, the party faces a split in Punjab and if he decides to bring Chhotepur back, he can be accused of compromising his anti-corruption crusade.”

Kejriwal is scheduled to leave on a four-day tour to Vatican and Italy on September 4. He will address doctors in Patiala on Septemebr 10. The next day, he is scheduled to release the party’s manifesto on farmers. The mediators active in efforts to resolve the Chhotepur issue want Kejriwal to settle the matter much before his Punjab visit. Interestingly, the inquiry against Chhotepur is yet to take off, suggesting that there is still room for reconciliation.

Activists threaten to resign en masse

Fatehgarh Sahib: Hundreds of AAP youth circle leaders belonging to Bassi Pathana have decided to resign en masse to protest the allotment of party ticket to an “outsider”. Addressing the media on Wednesday,  Parhlad Singh Majri and Gurpreet Singh Dhillon, circle heads, said they had called a meeting of party workers on Thursday and would submit their resignations in protest against the allotment of party ticket to a dismissed patwari, Santokh Singh Salana. They claimed that Salana belonged to Amloh whereas Manjinder Singh Romi who worked hard in Bassi Pathana deserved the nomination. 

Probe Akali funding, says AAP RTI wing

Chandigarh: Following the SAD’s request to the Union Home Minister to hold a high-level inquiry into funding of AAP, the latter has asked the SAD to clarify its own funding. Dinesh Chadha, AAP RTI wing incharge, said the Akali Dal received 65 per cent of its funds in last few years from corporate houses or realtors. Chadha said the figure was based on information taken from the Akali Dal through the RTI. He said in 2014-15, of the 100 businessmen who gave funds to the Akali Dal, 26 were from Barnala, which was surprising. He said one of them was Trident Group, which had a long confrontation with farmers. He alleged Akalis had been obliging entrepreneurs.

AAP wooing former Congress MP

Chandigarh: The AAP is trying hard to woo Charanjit Singh Channi, former Congress MP and son of late Dilbagh Singh of Nawanshahr. Charanjit Singh, who belongs to the Saini community, was elected MLA from Nawanshahr in 1997. He was elected Congress MP from Hoshiarpur in 1999. He has recently resigned from the Congress. His father was a popular leader of the Saini community that has a sizeable population in Ropar, Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur. Sources said Gaurav Gurcharan Singh Dudhahoor, vice-president of legal cell of AAP, is in touch with Channi to bring him into AAP fold. There are reports senior AAP leaders would meet Channi soon.

Volunteers seek action against zonal head

Amritsar: Led by AAP’s national council member Ashok Talwar, local volunteers launched a signature campaign demanding stern action against zonal head (Amritsar) Gurinder Bajwa who they alleged was involved in “cash for ticket” scam in connivance with Sucha Singh Chhotepur. They also accused Bajwa of anti-party activities and thrashing volunteer Anil Mahajan at a meeting.

No leader has met Chhotepur: Bhagwant

"I haven't met him (Chhotepur) so far (to coax him). No leader has met him. Nor can any negative comment be made as the inquiry against him is pending. He will be given a fair opportunity to clarify" Bhagwant Mann, AAP MP at a rally in Shahkot