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AAP distances itself from Manish Sisodia’s remarks, says not party’s ideology
AAP Punjab unit president Aman Arora said the AAP always seeks votes on its performance and “it will go to the people with folded hands on the basis of development works undertaken by the Bhagwant Mann government.”
Days after senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia came under sharp criticism from the opposition parties in Punjab for his alleged ‘Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed’ remarks regarding the 2027 assembly elections, AAP Punjab unit president Aman Arora on Monday said it was not their party’s ideology and asserted it believes in seeking votes on the basis of its work for the welfare of people.
Arora said the AAP always seeks votes on its performance and “it will go to the people with folded hands on the basis of development works undertaken by the Bhagwant Mann government.”
“Aman Arora is part of the party, not the whole party. Be it our mayor sa’ab, CM Sa’ab, or our honourable party in-charge Manish Sisodia ji, no individual is a full-fledged party on their own; he or she is part of the party. The video, which you are talking about, is not the party’s ideology. Arvind Kejriwal has always given a message that we will go to the public, knock on their doors, and will seek votes on the basis of our work,” Arora said.
Asked whether the AAP is distancing itself from Sisodia’s statement, Arora said, “No individual is a full-fledged party, and I am also a small part of the party. I am not the whole AAP.”
“In individual capacity, I am saying that it is neither Kejriwal’s ideology nor the party’s ideology, and perhaps Sisodia’s ideology as well. One thing has been blown out of context,” he added.
Sukhbir, Khaira seek action from poll panel
Opposition leaders SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Congress’ Sukhpal Khaira on Monday wrote to the election commission seeking action against Sisodia. This comes days after Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar wrote to the ECI, urging action against Delhi’s former deputy CM.
Sukhbir, in a letter, asked ECI to derecognise the AAP for seeking to secure an electoral victory allegedly through corrupt, unconstitutional, and illegal means.
Sukhbir claimed that Sisodia’s remarks attract penal provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, including Section 123(1) RPA, 1951 (bribery), Section 123(2) RPA, 1951 (undue influence), and Section 123(3A) RPA, 1951 (promotion of enmity). Khaira, in his letter, said: “These (Sisodia’s) remarks advocate the use of unethical and potentially illegal tactics such as inducement, coercion, intimidation, and division.”
Sukhbir said that Sisodia’s remarks attract penal provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, including Section 123(1) RPA, 1951 (bribery), Section 123(2) RPA, 1951 (undue influence), and Section 123(3A) RPA, 1951 (promotion of enmity). Khaira, in his letter to ECI, said: “These remarks, which advocate the use of unethical and potentially illegal tactics such as inducement, coercion, intimidation, and division, are not only antithetical to the principles of free and fair elections.”
