2 Punjab leaders quit posts

Chandigarh: A day after Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia for alleging that the latter was involved in drug trade, Punjab AAP is in a rebellious mood as its top two leaders — president Bhagwant Mann and co-president Aman Arora — resigned from their positions on Friday. The AAP alliance partner in Punjab Lok Insaf Party (LIP) has also broken its alliance with the AAP in Punjab.

Mr Mann announced his resignation on Twitter.

“I am resigning as the president of AAP Punjab. But my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an “Aam Aadmi” of Punjab,” Mr Mann said in a tweet.

Hours later, Mr Arora, who had also voiced his disappointment at the apology, said he was putting in his papers.

“Rspctd @msisodia ji, Due to painful turn of events since yesterday, plz accept my resignation from the post of co-president. Rgds,” he tweeted.

The CM in his apology letter had said, “In the recent past, I made certain statements and allegations against you (Majithia) regarding your alleged involvement in the drug trade. These statements became a political issue.    

“Now I’ve learnt that the allegations are unfounded... I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologise for the same.”

The Leader of Opposition in Punjab, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, said he was “stunned” by Mr Kejriwal’s apology.

Later, the AAP MLAs were in a closed door meeting, where they condemned Mr Kejrwial’s apology. After the meeting, Mr Khaira said that even though majority of the MLAs were of a view to make an independent unit of the party in Punjab, for the time being they “deferred the split.”