Bhagwant is Punjab AAP convener
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 8
The Aam Aadmi Party today appointed Sangrur Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann as the new Punjab convener as part of its strategy to shore up the party’s organisational structure following its disappointing show in the recent Assembly elections. Sunam MLA Aman Arora will be Mann’s deputy.
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The move, however, triggered fresh trouble for the party as the chief whip in the Assembly, Sukhpal Khaira, resigned from the post in protest. The Bholath MLA openly protested as soon as national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced Mann as the most popular choice.
Khaira resigned from his position, calling the selection process farcical, sources said. Kejriwal, however, refused to accept his resignation, it is learnt. Khaira later issued a statement, saying: “To set rumours at rest, I confirm that I have asked Kejriwal to relieve me as party chief whip and spokesperson with immediate effect.”
Kejriwal’s announcement came after three-hour consultations with each of the 20 Punjab MLAs and chiefs of different wings and committees of the state unit seeking their choice for the post.
Arora, who also emerged as a popular choice given that the party badly needed a Hindu face on a prominent post, has been tasked with strengthening the organisational structure of the state unit. The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) is learnt to have endorsed the choice.
Kejriwal reportedly told MLAs and other leaders to avoid blame game over the party’s performance in the Punjab elections, claiming he alone was responsible for the debacle. He is likely to induct incumbent state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich “Ghuggi” into the Political Affairs Committee.
Ghuggi has reportedly expressed his displeasure at his removal.
The party also elected Jagraon MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke as Deputy Leader of the Legislature Party in Vidhan Sabha. Four vice-presidents would also be named — two from Malwa region and one each from Doaba and Majha regions.
Punjab would further have a separate PAC, allowing the state unit to take independent political decisions.
