AAP MLAs HS Phoolka and Kanwar Sandhu ( File Photo )
Autonomy to Punjab unit best way to prevent breakup: AAP MLAs
By Raju William
Ludhiana, March 17, 2018: The suggestion by two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs from Punjab seeking autonomy for the state unit has escalated the party’s internal strife triggered by apology by its national chief Arvind Kejriwal to Akali MLA and former minister Bikram Majithia over drug trade allegations.
MLA from Kharar and senior AAP leader Kanwar Sandhu think the autonomy for the Punjab unit could be the best way to resolve the ongoing crisis and prevent the party from breaking up.Sandhu shared his concept of ‘Autonomy’ by releasing his letter written in the month of December last year, amid strong noises of rebellion against the central leadership.AAP MLA HS Phoolka also tweeted advocating autonomy to Punjab unit.
Maintaining that he had already written about this to Kejriwal, Sandhu told babushahi.com that his idea of autonomy was similar to what was being practiced in the Canadian politics. The autonomous provincial party units there have their own constitution, funding mechanism and freedom to make or break alliances among other things as compared to the Federal parties.
Sandhu also wrote in detail to Kejriwal about the fallout of his apology. He asserted their fight against the drug trade in the state would continue.
Meanwhile, most of the AAP Punjab leaders including the MLAs refused to attend the March 18 meeting called by the party’s Punjab affairs incharge and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. As adverse fallout of Kejriwal’s apology, AAP Punjab leadership wanted the meeting should be held in Chandigarh. This stand apparently reflected the Punjab leadership’s aspirations for autonomy.
Reportedly, three AAP MLAs Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo, Kultar Singh from Kotkapura and Amarjit Singh Sandoya from Rupnagar met Kejriwal in Delhi.
Meanwhile, former MLA and Delhi AAP leader Jarnail Singh also expressed his reservations on Kejriwal’s apology and said that one should not surrender during the war. He said that the drug trade case related to Majithia was still pending in the High Court.
The copy of the letter written by Kanwar Sandhu is as under :