CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI: Amid intense speculation about a potential split in the Punjab AAP following the party’s humiliating defeat in the polls, Arvind Kejriwal has called a meeting with Bhagwant Mann ministers and MLAs in Delhi on Tuesday.
With the Punjab Congress claiming that at least 30 AAP members are in touch with them and the BJP alleging that Kejriwal is making moves to replace Mann and is also attempting to enter Rajya Sabha from Punjab, the AAP sought to clarify that the meeting is a strategic session to discuss the party strategy.
Adding fuel to the fire, are rumours that one of the seven MPs from Punjab might resign to allow Kejriwal to move to the Upper House.
The Punjab MLAs were instructed to cancel all their engagements on Tuesday and attend the meeting at the Kapurthala House, the official residence of Punjab CM during his Delhi visits. Mann, who had been camping in Delhi for the past three days, arrived in Chandigarh on Sunday afternoon. The state cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday was postponed to February 13.
The agenda of the meeting is not known, but in all likelihood, Kejriwal will give the MLAs a “pep talk”, asking them to reconnect with the “aam aadmi”.
The Delhi meeting is also significant amid reports of some Punjab MLAs being dissatisfied with the leadership and may consider switching sides. There are speculations that Kejriwal may consider a more direct role in Punjab. With Ludhiana (West) Assembly seat being vacant, sources said Kejriwal may contest from there and become a part of the Punjab government.
The BJP has intensified its attack on AAP in Punjab, with a leader claiming that the “countdown for Mann’s government has began”.
BJP MLA from Rajouri Garden Manjinder Singh Sirsa echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that Kejriwal might sideline Mann. “After losing the election, Kejriwal has called a meeting of Punjab MLAs in Delhi. Reports suggest that he is trying to remove Mann Ji from the CM post by labeling him as incompetent,” he said.