The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to contest all the four upcoming assembly byelections in Punjab.
Announcing this, AAP state unit president Bhagwant Mann said the party took an unanimous decision in this regard at a meeting of the state core committee. “The party has constituted committees comprising MLAs and senior leaders for the selection of candidates for the bypolls for Dakha, Jalalabad, Phagwara and Mukerian assembly seats,” he said in a statement.
Phagwara and Jalalabad seats have been fallen vacant as sitting legislators Som Prakash and Sukhbir Singh Badal of the BJP and the SAD, respectively, were elected to the Lok Sabha whereas AAP MLA from Dakha HS Phoolka resigned from the membership of the state assembly as well as the party. On Tuesday, Congress MLA from Mukerian assembly seat, Rajnish Kumar Babbi, passed away following a prolonged illness. The byelections are likely to be held along with the state assembly polls in Haryana and two other states in October. The core committee also decided to take serious note of anti-party statements and activities.
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE FOR ‘AAM AADMI ARMY’
After the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the AAP on Wednesday announced a statewide membership drive to strengthen the party in Punjab.
AAP state unit president and Bhagwant Mann, who made the announcement at a press conference here, said the party will enrol members for the ‘Aam Aadmi Army’ (AAA) in each village of the state to fight the two parties, the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), that taken turns to loot the state.
{{/usCountry}}AAP state unit president and Bhagwant Mann, who made the announcement at a press conference here, said the party will enrol members for the ‘Aam Aadmi Army’ (AAA) in each village of the state to fight the two parties, the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), that taken turns to loot the state.
{{/usCountry}}Mann also released two booklets, one listing mission and objectives of the AAA and the other containing membership form and guidelines. Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, state core committee chairman Budh Ram, several MLAs and other leaders of the party were among those present.
The party, born out of an anti-corruption campaign seven years ago, had made its electoral debut in the state in 2014 Lok Sabha elections by winning four seats and used to refer to its supporters as ‘volunteers’.
“There is no age bar. They will have to fill the form and get enrolled. They will be given them identity cards. Unlike the Congress and SAD, we will not impose leaders from the top. All new members will be asked in what capacity they can work for the party and will select their leaders. This civil army will fight the mafia raj,” Mann said. The state unit has appointed an 11-member committee headed by Harchand Singh Bursat to monitor the drive.
Mann also released a list of 39 observers and three co-observers to oversee the party activities, including the ongoing ‘Bijli Andolan’ against power tariff hike in the state. Each observer would take care of three assembly segments.
Asked about the ceaseless rift and rebel MLAs, Mann said the party had made efforts to talk to disgruntled legislators, but they set a slew to pre-conditions. “Party and organisation is bigger than individuals,” said the two-time MP.
AMAN ARORA STAYS AWAY
Upset over the style of functioning of the state unit, Sunam MLA Aman Arora did not attend the core committee meeting and stayed away from Bhagwant Mann’s press conference. Arora has skipped most of the party programmes in recent weeks and been issuing his separate statements on important state issues.
Asked about his absence from the committee meeting, Arora, who is away to Delhi, said there was need for review and introspection as the party did not do well in the Lok Sabha elections. “There is a need to deliberate and dissect the reasons for the loss. I have raised this issue as a loyal soldier of the party, but not got any response,” he told HT.
The principal opposition party had polled just 7% votes against 25% in the 2014 parliamentary polls. Barring Sangrur, which was won by Mann, all other party candidates lost their security deposit.