Allegations of involvement in drug trade are not new for politicians in Punjab. Therefore, when a district court in Fazilka summoned leader of the Opposition and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Khaira in a 2015 drug smuggling case, it was no surprise as drug accused in the state are often linked to politicians. But the drug trade allegations against the top AAP leader came at a time when the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has been witnessing a downslide post the Assembly polls in February.

Though the outcome resulted in AAP’s entry into the Punjab Assembly for the first time and that too as the main Opposition party ahead of the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bhartiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) combine, the party still rues the fact that it might have captured power in Punjab if it had properly handled the public support in its favour. Though AAP has been witnessing an exodus of leaders who have either joined rival parties or quit the outfit, the fresh crisis has added to its problems post the humiliating defeat in the recent Gurdaspur by-poll in which the AAP candidate could not save his security deposit after receiving just 23,579 votes in nine Assembly constituencies.

THE CASE

The court of the additional district and sessions judge, Fazilka, which issued summons against Khaira, has sentenced nine persons to imprisonment in the trans-border heroin smuggling racket which surfaced in 2015. The court has also issued summons to Khaira in this case after additional public prosecutor moved an application stating that during investigation he was found to be the “kingpin” and was operating the gang through his personal security officer and personal assistant, one of nine accused, Gurdev Singh and his sister.

Khaira maintains that like his predecessor Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was unleashing political vendetta against him (Khaira) through prosecution machinery to gag his voice against corruption. He maintains that he was neither named in the first information report (FIR) nor in the chargesheet or in any statement of independent witnesses. Khaira said he was being summoned on the basis of 10 telephonic calls between him and Gurdev Singh who, he said, was known to him as a resident of his Assembly constituency.

But Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said Khaira had lost the moral ground to continue as leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Joining the chorus for Khaira’s ouster, the SAD-BJP also said the face of AAP had become the face of drugs in Punjab. SAD asked AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal if he would walk the talk and expel Khaira from the primary membership of the party.

DIVIDE WITHIN EXPOSED

But more than political rivals, this case has put the spotlight on the inner politics of AAP as at least six party MLAs are believed to have opined that Khaira should quit on moral grounds. These include deputy leader of the Opposition Sarvjit Kaur Manuke and Talwandi Sabo legislator Baljinder Kaur . Four others, including deputy state convener Aman Arora, are believed to have raised the demand in party fora. Some other office-bearers are also in favor Khaira’s resignation as the party had made drugs the main issue during the Assembly polls. But the majority of legislators maintain Khaira is being targeted because he has been confronting the Congress and the Akalis on several issues.

To the relief of the underfire Khaira, all party legislators and state president Bhagwant Mann issued statements expressing solidarity with him. But this sudden show of solidarity expressed by AAP MLAs and state president Mann appeared to have come at the direction of the party high command. This episode has, however, put AAP on the backfoot and given its rivals enough ammunition to attack the new outfit in state politics. More than this, what’s worrying for the cadres is that the party appears far from united even in hours of crisis like the one involving Khaira.

Senior AAP leaders appear to have agendas of their own and they don’t appear to believe in taking everyone along. The way different leaders issue separate statements on the same issue shows the lack of communication between the top party leadership in Punjab. And it is going to hurt as AAP is yet to wrest the decline that began much before the Assembly polls in February and continues till date much to the disappointment of the change-seeking Punjabis.