Khaira’s arrest escalates AAP-Cong rift in Punjab
The arrest of Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, a fierce critic of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, does not augur well for the alliance between the two parties in Punjab for parliamentary polls next year.
Chandigarh : The arrest of Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, a fierce critic of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, does not augur well for the alliance between the two parties in Punjab for parliamentary polls next year.
The manner of All India Kisan Congress chairman’s arrest in connection with a 2015 drugs case has widened the rift between the AAP and Congress in the state. Both parties are members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) formed by 28 parties to take on the BJP.
While the central leaders of the AAP and Congress are inclined to discuss seat sharing in Punjab, the state leaders of the two parties are at loggerheads and have been openly targeting each other.
Cong backs Khaira, alleges vendetta
The arrest of Khaira, who was in the AAP for three years before rejoining the Congress in early 2021, has again brought out the rift between the two parties in the state as several Punjab Congress leaders, including former CMs, rushed to his defence and announced to stand solidly behind him. They accused the AAP government of continuing with its political vendetta against the Congressmen in the state.
Calling the police action an attempt to muzzle the voice of strong leaders, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the party would not be bulldozed by such use of force or political harassment. “The arrest of MLA Sukhpal Khaira smacks of political vendetta. It is an attempt to intimidate the opposition and a ploy of the government in Punjab to divert attention from core issues. We stand strongly with Sukhpal Khaira and will take this fight to its logical conclusion,” he said, raising questions over the probe conducted by Punjab Police after eight years. Warring also said he briefed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge about the matter.
Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa said the AAP government has stooped to an all-time low. “Khaira has been outspoken and raised his voice against the wrongdoings and irregularities committed by the CM @BhagwantMann’s govt. The Punjab Congress under the ambit of law will leave no stone unturned to get him released,” he wrote on X. Bajwa and Warring have been strongly opposing the tie-up with the AAP.
Another party leader accused the AAP of showing double standards. “When their leaders were arrested in Delhi, they called it political vendetta, but they are indulging in similar politics of revenge in Punjab,” he said, requesting anonymity. The state leaders, who have been all riled up over the vigilance inquiries instituted by the AAP against about a dozen party leaders, including several former ministers, again opposed any alliance with the AAP.
At a party meeting last month, two former ministers had threatened to quit the Congress if it entered into an alliance with the AAP in the state.
However, AAP’s state chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang, while justifying the police action, said there would be no compromise on corruption and drug-related cases.
Bad blood runs deep
There is already too much bad blood between the state leaders of the Congress and AAP. Warring, Bajwa, Khaira and other leaders of the principal opposition party and Mann have been taking potshots or hurling accusations at each other almost daily despite their party bosses forming the alliance and agreeing to contest the elections together.
Bajwa and Mann sparred two days ago over the Congress leader’s remark that 32 MLAs of the AAP, which has 92 members in the 117-strong state assembly, were in touch with him. Mann hit back by accusing the leader of Opposition (Bajwa) of living in a fool’s paradise and issuing irrational statements to mislead the people.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been in favour of the Congress-AAP tie-up, also targeted the state government on Wednesday for splurging public money on luxury sorties of its leaders on campaign in other states. A few days ago, the state leaders of both parties had announced to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab independently.