Within hours of publicly questioning the Bhagwant Mann-led government over its educational reforms, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab unit suspended its Maur legislator Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana from primary membership on Saturday, citing “indiscipline” and “anti-party activities.”
The move drew sharp reaction from the Congress, with the party’s newly appointed Punjab chief Pargat Singh saying: “The AAP MLA himself has exposed the AAP’s authoritarianism and the falsehood of its much-publicised education revolution, points we have been raising for the past four and a half years.”
The high-pitched political drama unfolded after the first-time MLA went live on his official Facebook page for an emotional 14-minute address, directly challenging the state government’s heavily promoted ‘education kranti’ (education revolution) as superficial.
Maiserkhana, the only MLA in the 117-member Punjab assembly whose children study in a state-run school, claimed personal familiarity with the hardships students face due to infrastructure and staffing shortages.
He specifically cited the School of Eminence at Ram Nagar in his constituency in Bathinda district, alleging a severe deficit of faculty.
“I had apprised AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia and chief minister Bhagwant Mann about the lack of teachers affecting students’ prospects. No one showed interest in addressing the issue. This is a sorry state of affairs that an MLA from the ruling party is facing all these issues,” Maiserkhana said, adding that the party leadership was harassing him and he would not “beg” for an assembly ticket in the forthcoming state elections.
{{/usCountry}}“I had apprised AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia and chief minister Bhagwant Mann about the lack of teachers affecting students’ prospects. No one showed interest in addressing the issue. This is a sorry state of affairs that an MLA from the ruling party is facing all these issues,” Maiserkhana said, adding that the party leadership was harassing him and he would not “beg” for an assembly ticket in the forthcoming state elections.
{{/usCountry}}The MLA’s remarks coincided with shifting political dynamics in his home constituency. Navdeep Singh Jeeda, a practising lawyer, the AAP in-charge for the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, and chairperson of Punjab Sugarfed, on Friday opened an office in Maur — a move widely seen as staking a claim to Maiserkhana’s assembly segment.
MLA defaming party: AAP
Responding swiftly to the public outburst, AAP state general secretary Harchand Singh Barsat issued the suspension order. In an official statement, the ruling party accused Maiserkhana of attempting to defame the party and government by making false statements about the functioning of state educational institutions.
Refuting the lawmaker’s claims that the local School of Eminence operated with critical staff shortages, the party released official school records dated September 29. According to the data, the school features 30 sanctioned teaching posts, of which 25 are currently filled, serving 580 students across 19 sections. The active staff includes a principal, seven lecturers, 15 master cadre teachers, and two computer science teachers. A party spokesperson added that the principal had already submitted a written request to fill the remaining five vacant posts.
The internal rift quickly drew fire from the opposition. Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh seized on the suspension order to attack the ruling dispensation. Sharing the document on his X handle, Pargat Singh pointed out that Maiserkhana was the only AAP legislator who trusted his own government’s model enough to enroll his children in a state school. The Congress leader questioned the democratic space within the ruling faction, asking whether the state government listens to any of its MLAs.