Social media has replaced press conferences to make announcements and appointments!
Sukhpal Singh Khaira, an AAP legislator from Bholath constituency in Punjab, was the leader of opposition in the Punjab state legislature till he, like many others, saw a tweet from Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Sisodia tweeted on Thursday evening that “AAP has decided to change its leader of opposition in Punjab...”
Sisodia in the same tweet, announced that Harpal Singh Cheema, MLA from Dirba constituency, would be the new LoP in the state.
AAP has decided to change its leader of opposition in Punjab. Sh HarPal Singh Cheema, MLA Dirba constituency shall be leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly.
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) July 26, 2018
Khaira on his part tweeted that if speaking the truth is to cost him his post of LoP, he was “prepared to let go 100 such positions.” He added that “Those at the helm have done what Congress-SAD-BJP wanted”, and said “I have discharged my duty as LoP with utmost sincerity, dedication and fearlessness towards Punjab and Punjabis.”
It is yet another telling comment on the mess that plagues the Aam Aadmi Party, which emerged as the main opposition in Punjab, even as many thought they would sweep the February 2017 assembly elections and form government.
A few days ago, about 16 district level leaders had quit their positions citing arbitrary decisions by the state co-president, Dr Balbir Singh. They alleged that he had not consulted any of them on any matter.
Dr Balbir Singh himself was appointed to the post after the Punjab state unit president, Bhagwant Singh Mann rsigned from the post saying he was miffed with the party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tendering an unconditional apology to former power minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader, Bikramjit Majithia, in a drug case.
The party had campaigned in the assembly elections alleging Majithia was the kingpin in the drug mafia that ruined the youth of Punjab.
Khaira who is very articulate, has spent years in the Congress and was the spokesperson of the party's state unit till December 2015, when he quit to join the Aam Aadmi Party that was trying to expand its state unit.
Khaira's political future is anyone's guess. But equally, the Aam Aadmi Party has been left without any seasoned politicians in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.