CHANDIGARH: Former Leader of Opposition and defiant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira has now got support for his volunteers convention to be held at Thermal Plant Sports Stadium in Bathinda on August 2 from former convenor of Punjab unit of AAP and Punjabi actor Gurpreet Singh Waraich alias Ghuggi.
Ghuggi, who was the convenor of the Punjab unit of AAP during last year’s assembly elections, was unceremoniously removed in May last year and replaced by Member of Parliament from Sangrur, Bhagwant Mann, as the convenor of the state unit.
In a video message released today, Ghuggi said that it was unfortunate that a leader like Sukhpal Singh Khaira was removed from his post. He said that he would not be able to attend the convention but he wanted AAP workers to go to Bathinda to make the convention successful.He has also blamed the central
leadership of the party for not giving autonomy to the Punjab unit of the party and supported Khaira for opposing the party’s top leadership and speaking for Punjab.
“I fought for Punjab but was unsuccessful.Whenever someone raises a strong voice in favour of Punjab, his voice is silenced. The reason is simple the people with whom we were fighting for Punjab are not well-intentioned.’’ he said.
He appealed to AAP workers to support Khaira who stood for people of Punjab.
Now there is a growing chorus against the central leadership of AAP and leaders are coming out openly in Khaira’s support. Ghuggi, who had lost from Batala in last year’s assembly election, had openly spoken against Mann and termed him `drunkard’.
Sources said that Sanjay Singh was in-charge of party affairs in Punjab and Durgesh Pathak co-in-charge of AAP’s Punjab unit before the assembly elections last year and they resigned from the party posts after AAP’s defeat in the elections. Durgesh was present in the meeting of Manish Sisodia Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and in-charge of Punjab affairs of the party with the Punjab MLAs on Saturday.
Meanwhile, senior leader of Aam Aadmi Party and the leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha,Harpal Singh Cheema, termed the alleged 'AAP Convention' to be held at Bathinda tomorrow as an event
sponsored by SAD-BJP-RSS and Bains brothers and has nothing to do with Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and other leaders. He said that the use of photos and names of national leaders, MPs and MLAs for the purpose of confusing AAP workers is illegitimate. He termed the convention as Anti-Dalit event.
Cheema said that the state, as well as national leadership, must have welcomed the convention if it was scheduled to raise the voice of Dalits, farmers, unemployed and against mafias of every kind. Cheema accused that Bains bothers are experts in playing politics of opportunity and trying to break AAP. He said that few leaders of AAP have come under the influence of Bains and trying to kill their own party. Cheema appealed these leaders to respect the verdict of the people of Punjab and strengthen AAP. He cautioned AAP workers to stay alert of such suspicious intentions of opponents.