Bhagwant Mann quits AAP’s Punjab chief post

Chandigarh: The Punjab unit of AAP on Friday slipped into a crisis with its top two leaders — president Bhagwant Mann and co-president Aman Arora — resigning from their party posts in protest against Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia for alleging that the latter was involved in drug trade.

Mr Mann, a Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur, announced his resignation on Twitter amid widespread criticism of Mr Kejriwal’s decision by AAP leaders who said they were “stunned” by the apology and “disappointed” for not being kept in the “loop”.

“I’m 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 (sic),” Mr Mann said in a tweet.

AAP’s partner in Punjab, Lok Insaf Party (LIP), has also broken its ties with the party.