Asserting that rivals are spreading rumours against the Delhi-based central leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh on Friday declared that the party’s chief ministerial candidate will be from Punjab.
“We (leaders from Delhi) are only workers. We won’t even contest for gram panchayat elections in Punjab, what to talk of contesting assembly elections. I want to assure all party supporters that the CM face in the state will be from Punjab; will be a true Punjabi, in every sense of the word,” he said, addressing a gathering at Chhapar village in Ludhiana on the occasion of the historic annual mela (fair).
This comes days after Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was sacked as Punjab unit chief of the AAP, alleged that AAP supremo and Delhi Cm Arvind Kejriwal wants to be CM of Punjab.
Watch video | Open to joining Sidhu’s front: Sacked AAP Punjab chief Chhotepur
Sanjay, lashing out at the Akalis and the Congress over their comments that AAP knows nothing about Punjab, also said, “Badal never says ‘Italy ki Sonia Gandhi (Congress president)’; nor do they say ‘Delhi ka Rahul Gandhi (Congress vice-president)’, or ‘Himachal ki Asha Kumari (Congress state affairs in-charge)’. That is because the Badals and the Congress are together when it comes to spreading rumours about AAP and saying that we are not Punjabis.”
{{/usCountry}}Sanjay, lashing out at the Akalis and the Congress over their comments that AAP knows nothing about Punjab, also said, “Badal never says ‘Italy ki Sonia Gandhi (Congress president)’; nor do they say ‘Delhi ka Rahul Gandhi (Congress vice-president)’, or ‘Himachal ki Asha Kumari (Congress state affairs in-charge)’. That is because the Badals and the Congress are together when it comes to spreading rumours about AAP and saying that we are not Punjabis.”
{{/usCountry}}Sanjay also hit out at the newly formed ‘fourth front’ and said, “Agar kisi chauthe morche ko vote dia, toh vote jayegi seedhi Badal ko (Voting for a fourth front will mean voting for the Badals).”
Phoolka makes lead appearance
What appeared to be a looming crisis seemed to have been resolved for now, as senior AAP leader HS Phoolka was the key speaker at the rally in Chhapar, which falls in Dakha segment from where he is contesting. Phoolka’s was the main face projected in posters of the AAP that dotted the walls across the village.
After he was noticed missing from the Bhagapurana (Moga) rally on September 11, there were speculations that Phoolka is upset with the party for sidelining him. Today, he finally made an appearance dispelling all rumours. Phoolka, in his speech, slammed Badals for “making false claims of being saviours of the Sikh religion”. He said that Badal has done nothing for the victims of the 1984 killings in Delhi and the attack on Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, “whereas I have fought a legal battle for 25 years to bring the culprits to book”.