Troubles multiply, AAP now faces split on regional lines

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 28

“Jhaadu teeley teeley ho reha hai. Mann udaas hai (AAP is disintegrating. I am sad),” said a corncob seller on the Sirhind-Chandigarh road. An ardent AAP supporter, he shared his disappointment at the turn of events in the party.

On other levels, more volunteers and leaders seem to be turning their back towards the party which promised clean and transparent politics. The party which was riding on the wave of popularity is in crisis and there does not seem to be a system in place to defuse the situation.

The removal of Sucha Singh Chhotepur from the post of state party convener and his counter-attack at Delhi coterie and the resultant call for Punjabiyat has thrown the biggest challenge for the party in the election year.

AAP is yet to recover from the controversy over the use a broom alongside the photo of the Golden Temple on its youth manifesto and the loss of face it suffered after BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu changed his mood to join the party. Besides, 25 of the 32 candidates declared by the party so far are facing opposition from within AAP.

The worst fear that the party may be divided between Delhi and Punjab camps is proving true much to the delight of the Congress and the Akali Dal. Three Sikh leaders, HS Phoolka, Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Kanwar Sandhu, are trying to coordinate with party convener Arvind Kejriwal on defusing the situation.

A member of the party’s Political Review Committee, Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa, said the party worked only on the dictates of its head (Kejriwal). “No meeting of the committee took place since it was constituted months ago.”

Randhawa has already registered a political party called AAP Punjab. He issued a statement saying ‘AAP Punjab’ supported Chhotepur and rejected all candidates announced by AAP led by Kejriwal.

Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, who is busy holding rallies and defending the party, told The Tribune that he was sad at the turn of events. “The rivals are fuelling the fire against us. Such issues happen in all parties. We will win 100 seats. The party has zero tolerance towards corruption. I am the campaign committee incharge. Thousands of people turn up at my rallies. But if I am found indulging in corruption, I will be thrown out immediately. That is AAP,” he said.

Congress and Akali leaders, who in private, were admitting that there was a wave in favour of AAP, said they were waiting for such a self-goal by AAP. “We have been saying that they only know how to spread chaos and fight. How can you hand over the reins of the state to such people, who claim they were democratic and put everything on social media but are shying to share the video on the basis of which they removed the state head,” said an Akali leader.