NEW DELHI, Feb. 10 -- Following a significant loss in the Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal has called an emergency meeting with Punjab-based AAP legislators and ministers. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, comes in the wake of claims by Congress leaders that they are in contact with around 30 AAP MLAs from the state. The session is set to address the party's strategy moving forward, particularly as opposition voices suggest potential instability within the party.
Punjab's Leader of Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, has openly claimed that AAP's Punjab lawmakers have begun questioning the party's future following the Delhi setback. Bajwa added that some MLAs are reportedly reconsidering their allegiance, with fears that their political prospects in AAP may be doomed. He also hinted at a possible reshuffling in the Punjab government as a result of these developments.
AAP's victory in Punjab during the 2022 Assembly elections, when it won 92 of the 117 seats, had been seen as a major triumph. However, Bajwa's remarks suggest growing discontent among the party's Punjab lawmakers. He further criticized AAP for not fulfilling the promises made during the 2022 election campaign and suggested that the party's decline in Delhi marks the beginning of its downfall in Punjab too.
Rumors have also surfaced about Kejriwal possibly contesting from Ludhiana, where a seat is currently vacant, and possibly aiming for a bigger role in the Punjab government, including the Chief Minister's position. These speculations were fueled by claims from Punjab BJP leader Subhash Sharma. In response to these developments, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang defended the upcoming meeting, calling it part of a routine process to gather feedback and plan future strategies. He emphasized that the meeting, which will involve Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and other leaders, is aimed at strengthening the party's organizational structure in the state.
Despite setbacks, AAP remains committed to Punjab, strategising its next steps following a tough Delhi defeat, amid opposition claims of internal dissent and potential instability within the party.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.