Punjab AAP struggles to keep flock together

Ruchika M Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 3

The entry of three rebel AAP MLAs — Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Pirmal Singh Dhaula — into the Congress fold couldn’t have come at a worse time for the principal Opposition party, which is striving to win the Assembly elections slated early next year.

While the party put up a brave face at the three desertions, saying they had severed ties with them almost three years ago, the switching of loyalties is a setback for the morale of the party, hit by repeat desertions since 2018. Even as the party is “searching” for a prominent face to lead them in the upcoming elections, it is also struggling to keep its flock of MLAs together.

At least another AAP MLA from Malwa and a woman legislator are reportedly under the scanner for their “growing proximity to the SAD”. Party leaders say they are also “not in touch” with another rebel MLA Kanwar Sandhu. Jarnail Singh, party in charge of Punjab affairs, tried to downplay the desertions saying they had left the party in 2018 over “autonomy in the functioning of party affairs” here.

“So what happens to this demand when they join a party like the Congress, controlled by the high command in Delhi? Almost two years ago, we thought of getting these rebels back into the party fold. But our cadre were against it, saying they had breached the trust of voters by severing ties with the party and Khaira had floated his own political outfit. The betrayal will cost them dear as voters do not trust such leaders,” he said, adding the three had been hobnobbing with the Congress for a long time.

Harpal Singh Cheema, Leader of the Opposition, said the party had been repeatedly asking Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh to suspend the membership of all rebel MLAs. “We will again seek their dismissal,” he said.

Hit by string of desertions since 2018

• In 2018, seven of its MLAs rebelled, but two — Jagtar Singh Jagga and Baldev Singh — later returned to party fold
• Later, HS Phoolka and Amarjit Singh Sandoa, too, left the party. Sandoa, however, returned to AAP last year
• An AAP MLA from Malwa and a woman legislator are currently under watch over ‘proximity to the SAD’