AAP Spokesperson Hardip Kingra resigns; Challenges Arvind Kejriwal to hold debate on Punjab issues

Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party’s state level leader and Chairperson on Funds Raising Committee Hardip Singh Kingra has resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party levelling serious allegations against the AAP’s central leadership. Hardip Kingra, who was also spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab confirmed the reports about his resignation.

Accusing Arvind Kejriwal for attempting to run the Punjab unit via proxy, Hardip Kingra said that AAP’s central leaders, who were given prime powers to runs Punjab unit, mistreat the party’s Punjab leadership.

Talking to the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) over phone Hardip Singh Kingra alleged that the Youth Manifesto of AAP was a  bundle of unrealistic promises which poses the liability of Rs. 21 thousand crores.

He said that Durgesh Pathak was being termed as ‘Chanakya’ by the Central leadership and the suggestions of local leadership of Punjab were being ignored.

He also levelled charges of mass level corruption against AAP’s Central leadership and said that ‘outsiders’ were selling party tickets in Punjab.

Hardip Singh Kingra also challenged Arvind Kejriwal to hold open discussion with him about Punjab’s issues and maintained that AAP’s central leadership was not concerned about Punjab. He said that AAP’s was eyeing on Punjab merely as a favorable electoral opportunity.

Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) also talked to Kanwar Sandhu chairman of AAP’s Manifesto committee who expressed disappointment over resignation of Hardip Singh Kingra.

“Hardip Kingra was a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party and his resignation has even disappointed me personally”, said Kanwar Sandhu.

Kanwar Sandhu however denied Hardip Kingra’s accusations that AAP’s central leadership or Durgesh Pathak had overridden the suggestions of Punjab leadership while preparing the Youth Manifesto.

“Durgesh Pathak had Delhi’s experience and he guided us to develop the system during Punjab Dialogue campaign. We held open discussions with the youth and took their suggestions to compile the document, which was then examined by the experts”, said Kanwar Sandhu adding that it was not correct to say that the Youth Manifesto was solely prepared by the Central leadership.

He, however, added that the draft of youth manifesto was shown to Arvind Kejriwal and after holding discussions, some changes proposed by the AAP’s central convenor were incorporated in the Youth Manifesto.

He said that Hardip Kingra was right in saying that the promises made in AAP’s youth manifesto would require Rs. 21,000 cores to turn into a reality, but he maintained that AAP would have five years term to fulfil these promises. “We will restructure the taxation system and take help of NRI to fulfil all these promises”, he added.

On being asked about growing dissent towards the Central leadership in the Punjab unit, Kanwar Sandhu said that there were disagreements amongst the Punjab leadership of AAP on certain issues, therefore the Central leadership entrusted some Central leaders with a certain role in Punjab. He maintained that these Central leaders were now stepping back gradually and hoped that everything would be fine in AAP’s Punjab unit. He said that he would talk to Hardip Kingra to convince him to return the party fold.