The Punjab unit of the AAP appears to be staring at a crisis ahead of the Lok Sabha polls with its central leadership on Thursday announcing the removal of Sukhpal Singh Khaira as the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.
Senior party leader and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said, “The AAP has decided to change its Leader of Opposition in Punjab. Harpal Singh Cheema, MLA from Dirba constituency, shall be the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly.”
Cheema is a Dalit leader. Firebrand MLA Khaira, who joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after quitting the Congress, trained guns at the central leadership after the change was announced. He said, “Those at the helm have done what the Congress, the SAD-BJP wanted.”
The AAP in Punjab is the second single largest party with 20 MLA’s in the house of 117 legislators.
The sudden developments that unfolded on Thursday appear to be an outcome of internal wrangling between Khaira and the AAP co-president Balbir Singh. Khaira courted recent controversy after Balbir Singh accused him of accepting money from party workers. The appointment of Cheema as the new leader of opposition is also an attempt by the AAP to win over Dalit votes ahead of the General Elections.
Khaira in a tweet said, “I have discharged my duty as LoP with uttermost sincerity, dedication and fearlessness towards Punjab and Punjabi’s. If speaking the truth and espousing the cause of Punjab and Sikhs cost me LoP post, I am prepared to let go of 100 such positions”.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks