AAP expels senior leader Upkar Sandhu

Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday expelled its senior leader from Amritsar Upkar Singh Sandhu over alleged anti-party activities, a day after he criticised the decision to make Sangrur MP Bhagwant Maan as the party Punjab unit chief.

Mr. Sandhu, who had unsuccessfully contested for Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by-poll, had on Wednesday opposed the decision of the party high command to appoint Mr. Mann as the convenor for the party’s Punjab unit.

Mr. Sandhu has been expelled for his activities against the party, Mr. Mann said in a statement. “Volunteers are the backbone of the party, but anti-party activities would not be tolerated,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gurpreet Singh Waraich, outgoing convenor of the Punjab unit resigned from AAP’s primary membership, saying the party has deviated from its principles.

Mr. Sandhu had resigned from SAD on October 24 last year. He rejoined the party a month later. Before joining AAP, he had defected to the Congress from SAD.

On Tuesday, Mr. Sandhu said the AAP high command should consider appointing MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira as the party’s state chief.

Earlier on Monday, in a meeting chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the party appointed Mr. Mann as the convener and party MLA from Sunam, Aman Arora as the co-convener.

Shortly after the decision, AAP spokesperson and the chief whip of the party in the state Assembly, Mr. Khaira had asked Mr. Kejriwal to remove him from the posts.

“I have asked (Arvind) Kejriwal to remove me from the posts of the party’s chief whip in the Assembly and party spokesperson with immediate effect,” the Bholath MLA had said.