Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Harpal Singh Cheema take swipe at each other

Bathinda, November 10

A war of words between AAP senior leader Harpal Singh Cheema and Bathinda (Rural) MLA Rupinder Kaur Ruby broke out on Twitter today.

After Ruby resigned from AAP’s primary membership on Tuesday night, Cheema tweeted: “Rupinder Ruby is our younger sister, stay happy wherever you go. This time she did not have a chance to get ticket from AAP, so she is joining the Congress. I request the Congress not to betray Ruby and give her ticket from Bathinda (Rural).”

Quit over ticket

She wouldn’t have got ticket from AAP this time, so she joined the Congress. Harpal Cheema, AAP

MLA dares Cheema

When it was time for you to speak, you did not, neither could you raise your voice. You contest against me. Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Bathinda (R) MLA

Reacting sharply, Ruby tweeted: “Respected Harpal Cheema ji, you also know where the party is taking Punjab, I can’t see it quietly. When it was time for you to speak, you did not, neither could you raise your voice for the people of Punjab nor for Bhagwant Mann. Regarding the ticket, you contest against me”.

The resignation of Ruby has come as a big jolt for the party at a crucial time ahead of 2022 Assembly polls. In 2017, AAP won three seats of the six in Bathinda district, but till now two MLAs — Ruby and Jagdev Singh Kamalu (Maur) — have quit the party. Similarly, AAP MLAs Nazar Singh Manshahia (Mansa) and Pirmal Singh Khalsa (Bhadaur) left the party and joined the Congress earlier this year.

The Malwa region is crucial for AAP, as it succeeded in winning a majority of seats in the 2017 Assembly elections. With its MLAs leaving, the alarm bells are ringing for AAP to set the things in order.

“AAP is expanding in the state. Many people come and go, such things (quitting of MLAs) happen, the stability will come,” said Neel Garg, spokesperson, AAP. — TNS

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