Not averse to holding talks with Khaira group: Kejriwal

Chandigarh, August 19

To resolve the “infighting” plaguing the AAP in Punjab, the party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he was not averse to holding talks with the dissident group of MLAs led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, in the interest of the party.

Kejriwal also ruled out any alliance with the Congress for the next year’s Lok Sabha polls, saying, “No, that is not happening.”     

During his visit to Punjab today, mainly to attend the ‘bhog’ ceremony of party MLA Kulwant Singh’s father at Mehal Kalan, Kejriwal went to residence of party MLA Aman Arora in Sunam, where he had an informal meeting with 11 of the AAP legislators from Punjab.

Notably, on the call of the AAP’s legislative wing, Arora has already initiated talks with the dissident group of legislators ahead of the Punjab Assembly session slated later this month.

The AAP had replaced Khaira with Cheema as the leader of opposition last month, triggering a revolt by eight out of its 20 MLAs that plunged the state unit into crisis. Khaira had dubbed his removal “undemocratic”.

The holding of talks by Sunam MLA Aman Arora with Khaira group assumes significance as the main opposition party AAP would like to be seen as united in the crucial Assembly session, during which Justice Ranjit Singh Commission’s report on sacrilege issue would be tabled.

Punjab Vidhan Session will start from August 24 till 28.

Interacting with reporters at Arora’s residence, Kejriwal was fielded questions on the issue of dissident MLAs who have reportedly opened a front against their own party.

On the Khaira issue, Kejriwal said, “In every party, in every family, there are issues and fights. I believe that some colleagues who are unhappy will be persuaded. I have also asked some of my MLAs to reach out to them and if need is felt, even I will talk to them.”        

When asked why the Khaira group was not invited for today’s meeting with MLAs at Sunam, the Delhi chief minister, who was accompanied by his deputy, Manish Sisodia, said, “No formal meeting was planned today.” Notably, Khaira also maintained a distance from Kejriwal at the ‘bhog’ ceremony.

Kejriwal said, “Whosoever holds some grudge, maybe they have some good suggestion, we will implement that. Our aim is to unite the entire Punjab and the entire country. We will attempt to reach out to all those who hold any kind of grudge. If need be, I will talk to them (the dissidents)”.

Dissident MLAs, led by Khaira had earlier declared the party’s Punjab unit “autonomous” and “dissolved” its current organisational structure during a convention at Bathinda on August 2. — PTI