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Kejriwal reveals Punjab poll plans, says AAP's CM candidate will be local
"It will be someone who the whole of Punjab feels proud of," said Arvind Kejriwal, explaining that the Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial candidate in the assembly elections next year will be from the Sikh community.
Revealing a bit about his political ambitions in Punjab, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s chief ministerial candidate in the upcoming assembly polls in the state will be a local from the Sikh community. "It will be someone who the whole of Punjab feels proud of," said Kejriwal, addressing a press conference in Amritsar. It was at the same event that former Punjab police officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap also joined the party after a day of speculation over the same.
Arvind Kejriwal had been hinting at making inroads in the state's politics for a while now. Yesterday, he tweeted, “Punjab wants change. The only hope is the Aam Aadmi Party. See you tomorrow at Amritsar,” without elaborating any further. Punjab AAP leaders also remained tightlipped about the induction of any leaders to the party at Amritsar.
However, the party already seems to be hedging its bets in the state. The day saw the induction of Kunwar Vijay Pratap, an ex-inspector general (IG) who was part of the special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident in Punjab.
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh took premature retirement in April after the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed a report by the earlier Punjab Police SIT into the firing at people protesting in Kotkapura in 2015 over the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot district. Singh was part of the SIT which was probing the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan policing firing incidents. The court had then directed the state government to set up a new SIT without Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had initially refused to accept the resignation of Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who otherwise was to retire in 2029. But when the former IG-rank officer remained firm on his stand, the CM accepted his premature retirement request. The former police officer had assured the government of full help and support even outside his service in connection with the probe led by him in two cases of police firing.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-Sanyukt) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and patron Ranjit Singh Brahmpura will reportedly visit the Golden Temple at the same time when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal will pay obeisance at the shrine. This led to a buzz in political circles about a possible tie-up between the two parties ahead of the 2021 Punjab assembly elections.
(With inputs from agencies)
