Ex-IG aboard, Kejriwal says Sikh to be CM face

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 21

AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced that the party’s CM face for the 2022 Assembly elections will be from the Sikh community. Kejriwal was here to induct former IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh into the party fold.

In the presence of party’s state president Bhagwant Mann, Punjab affairs in charge Jarnail Singh, co-in charge Raghav Chadha and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema, Kejriwal said while discussions were on within the party to select the right candidate as the CM face, he was certain the entire state would be “proud” of the party choice.

“I can tell you that a member of the Sikh community will be our CM face. Punjab is the only state having a Sikh CM,” he said.

Asked whether Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu was would join the party, Kejriwal said Sidhu was with the Congress and he respected him. “I believe such loose talks should be avoided with respect to Sidhu,” he said.

Addressing Kunwar as ‘Afsar bhai’, Kejriwal said like him, Kunwar too didn’t belong to any political family. Pointing out that the former IG, who recently took voluntary retirement from service, played a vital role in “digging out the truth” behind the Bargari sacrilege and police firing cases, the Delhi CM said Kunwar invited the wrath of the entire system and had to take voluntary retirement.

Kejriwal claimed his party would deliver “justice” in the sacrilege and subsequent police firing cases. “Entire Punjab is watching how the masterminds of the Bargari sacrilege and Kotkapura firing cases are roaming freely. If voted to power, the culprits will be put behind bars and justice will be done,” he said.

Kejriwal and Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh later paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir. At Durgiana Temple, senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla made a surprise appearance and presented them with a shawl and a picture of the shrine.