Bathinda: In an open revolt against his own party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Bathinda Urban MLA Jagroop Singh Gill stated that the party has deviated from its principles and has succumbed to money and muscle power. He warned that if the party does not change its ways, it will face severe consequences in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Gill's Warning
"If the party fails to change its style, the Aam Aadmi Party will have to face the music in the 2027 Assembly elections. Our party may suffer a similar fate as Manpreet Singh Badal (former finance minister) did in 2022, when he faced a huge defeat," said Gill on Tuesday.
Speaking to media persons after the closing of polling for the municipal corporation, Gill said, "I am a committed soldier of the party, but if the party expels me for my outbursts, I will look for other options."
Allegations Against Party Leaders
Gill also lambasted the AAP for the attack on BJP district president Sarup Chand Singla and accused Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president Amarjit Singh Mehta and his former mayor son Padamjit Mehta of being behind the highhandedness. He further alleged that Padamjit Mehta won unopposed from ward number 46 by pressuring the administration to reject nomination papers.
Sources have termed Gill's outbursts as a fallout of the Delhi versus Punjab-based leaders in AAP. Gill supported the stand taken by Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Kudian, who reportedly took on party state in-charge Manish Sisodia over the distribution of party tickets in Bathinda Municipal Corporation.
Gill said, "Now the interference of Delhi-based leaders is more in the party, which is against the initial lesson taught to party functionaries that no high command-type culture will be seen in the Aam Aadmi Party."
More Charges Against Mehta Duo
Gill further accused the Mehta father-son duo of distributing tickets according to their whims and fancies, aiming to win elections to prove that their ticket selection was correct, similar to what was done in 2021 during the previous Congress government. He claimed that in such endeavors, communal harmony is the biggest casualty, citing the attack on Sarup Chand Singla as a prime example of breaking communal harmony in Bathinda.
He said that last night, some goons of Amarjit Singh Mehta attacked his supporters in ward number 3 and fired at an SUV. "I called the SSP at 2:30 am, and the Bathinda SSP asked me to file a complaint, assuring that a case would be registered accordingly. But now, under pressure from higher-ups, the case has been registered against unidentified persons even though my supporters had named Mehta behind the attack," Gill added.
Response from Accused
Amarjit Singh Mehta refuted the charges, stating that all allegations are vague and he has nothing to do with any attack or the rejection of candidate forms in ward number 46.
Bathinda DSP City-2 Arun Mundan said, "The FIR has been registered on merit after reviewing videos of the incident. Multiple complaints have been received from the State Election Commission against both parties, and action as per merit will be taken."
AAP Punjab president Aman Arora and media adviser Baltej Pannu did not respond to the matter.
