No headway, Khaira, Sisodia won’t budge

Jupinderjit Singh 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, July 29

Talks between AAP’s central leadership and the Sukhpal Khaira-led Punjab group over his removal as Leader of Opposition, that were held in Delhi on Sunday, ended without any headway with Manish Sisodia, Delhi Deputy CM and in-charge of party’s Punjab affairs, reportedly refusing to reinstate Khaira on the post. 

Livid, Khaira too rejected Sisodia’s demand to cancel the August 2 party convention called by him in Maur, Bathinda district. Sources said the meeting scheduled for 6 pm started at 8.15 pm and ended at 9.30 pm. Eight MLAs —  Kanwar Sandhu, Pirmal Singh Dhaula, Master Baldev Singh, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, Jagtar Singh and

Rupinder Kaur Ruby besides Khaira — turned up. Four others, including Jai Krishan Rodi, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Meet Hayer and Balwant Singh, were already there, said sources.

Eight MLAs supporting the  leadership’s decision to appoint Dirba MLA Harpal Cheema as LoP did not attend the meeting. One of them, Sunam MLA Aman Arora, claimed: “Not all MLAs were called.” Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu, who described Khaira’s removal as “undemocratic and untimely,” said Dakha MLA HS Phoolka, former MLA Jarnail Singh and national organisation head Durgesh Pathak made a brief appearance at the meeting. “The MLAs objected to Pathak’s participation, accusing him of having caused  a split in AAP’s unit earlier.”