AAP ousts nine leaders for ‘anti-party’ activities in Punjab

Among those removed include AAP’s national council member Paviter Singh and his wife Lakhwinder Kaur, member of the state women wing.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday ousted nine senior party leaders, including some senior functionaries, who it said are involved in anti-party activities.

Paviter Singh and his wife Lakhwinder Kaur.(HT File Photo)

Most of those removed have been actively supporting Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was sacked as party’s Punjab convener last month.

Among those removed include AAP’s national council member Paviter Singh and his wife Lakhwinder Kaur, member of the state women wing.

Paviter had accused party’s Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh and national organisation building head Durgesh Pathak of demanding Rs 50 lakh for a ticket for his wife. Both Pathak and Sanjay had denied the charge.

Last week, Paviter alleged that he along with some other AAP members had gathered Rs 1 lakh party donation which was deposited in the personal account of state co-in-charge and Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh in January last year. Jarnail Singh did not give him a receipt for it, he said.

Jarnail had said there was “nothing wrong” in gathering donations for an election as long as he was accounting for it before the election commission.

The other leaders, who have been removed from the party, are state media team member Colonel (retd) Jasjit Singh Gill, circle in-charge Jagtar Singh, Harpal Singh of NRI cell, Amandeep Singh Bains, Baljit Singh Chahal, Colonel (retd) Dalwinder Singh Grewal and Amandeep Singh Boparai.

Most of these were actively assisting Chhotepur in the creation of his new party.

A party press release said these people “had maintained distance from the AAP in the recent past due to their anti-party activities. The AAP hereby clarifies that the party has nothing to do with these leaders anymore”.

Paviter to lodge police complaints

Reacting to the move, Paviter Singh said the AAP had “finally removed all doubts that it has completely deviated from the principles for which it was created”.

“The party has been taken over its Delhi leaders Durgesh Pathak, Sanjay Singh and Jarnail Singh,” he said. He would lodge police complaints on the basis of his earlier allegations, Paviter said.