Eight AAP MLAs led by Sukhpal Khaira declare party's Punjab unit autonomous

In an act of rebellion, a group of Aam Aadmi Party legislators led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira has declared the party's Punjab unit autonomous and dissolved its current organisational structure. 

Addressing a mega rally in Bathinda yesterday, Khaira made it clear that the AAP's Punjab unit will no longer tolerate Delhi’s interference. He also gave a week's time to the leadership in Delhi to review its decision to remove him from the post of Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly.

Khaira has called meeting of the party leaders next week. Eight of the party's 20 MLAs openly rebelled against party leadership's decision to appoint Harpal Singh Cheema as leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly replacing Khaira. 

Punjabi film actor and former convenor of the AAP's state unit Gurpreet Singh Waraich 'Ghuggi' has declared his support to Khaira. 

Yesterday's Bathinda rally was



attended by 6 other AAP MLAs - Kanwar Sandhu, PS Khalsa, Jagjit Jagga, Jagdev Singh Kamaloo, Baldev Singh Jaito and NS Mansahiya. Khaira turned rebel after the AAP removed him from LoP post on July 26. 

Meanwhile, keeping in mind the rebellious attitude of Khaira, the central leadership of the AAP summoned MLAs of Punjab unit in Delhi. 

However, only 11 of them came to meet the leaders in the capital.

The AAP in the state had plunged into a crisis when the party leadership appointed Cheema as the Leader of Opposition on July 26, replacing Sukhpal Singh Khaira. 

But Cheema claimed that the Bathinda rally was sponsored by SAD-BJP, RSS and the Bains brothers - Simarjeet Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains - who lead the Lok Insaf Party, which was once an AAP ally.

The AAP has 20 MLAs in the Punjab Assembly.