Aam Aadmi Party's National Convenor & Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday broke his silence on the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira by the Punjab Police. Congress MLA from Bholath, Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Thursday was arrested by Punjab Police from his Chandigarh residence in a 2015 drugs case. Delhi CM Kejriwal addressing the media on Friday downplayed any kind of infighting or cracks in the I.N.D.I.A alliance and stated that 'AAP is committed to INDIA'.
Addressing the media, AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sukhpal Singh Khaira's arrest said, "AAP is committed to INDIA... AAP will not separate from INDIA alliance...I have come to know Punjab Police arrested some Congress leader yesterday. I do not have details... you can get from the police. We have waged a war against drugs... I will not comment on any individual case but we are committed to ending addiction."
It is pertinent to mention here that Sukhpal Khaira was arrested in the 2015 drug case and was taken to Jalalabad Police Station. After Sukhpal Singh Khaira's arrest, Punjab Congress leaders came down heavily on Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP leaders in Punjab with Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleging 'political vendetta' as the reason behind Khaira's arrest. Not only this, Indian National Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge stated, 'we will not tolerate any injustice'.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says, ‘AAP is committed to the INDIA Alliance. AAP will not separate ways from the INDIA Alliance. Yesterday, I heard that the Punjab Police arrested a particular leader (Sukhpal Singh Khaira) in connection with drugs. I don’t have the details; you will… pic.twitter.com/CJ5mWh302b
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) September 29, 2023
Congress vs AAP
Who is Sukhpal Khaira? Congress MLA arrested for second time in 3 years over drug charges
Congress vs AAP became evidently clear when Sukhpal Singh Khaira was arrested on Thursday by the Punjab Police. Khaira was a staunch critic of the Bhagwant Mann government. Sukhpal Khaira was arrested in a 2015 drug case. Condemning Sukhpal Khaira's arrest, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring slammed the ruling Bhagwant Mann-led AAP and termed the action taken by Punjab Police as a 'Political Vendetta'. The AAP later dismissed claims of a "political vendetta" and insisted that Sukhpal Khaira's arrest is part of its "zero tolerance policy" against drugs. An AAP Punjab spokesperson was quoted saying "sufficient admissible evidence" had been found. The AAP Spokesperson blamed the earlier Akali Dal-led government for not arresting Sukhpal Khaira at the time.
It is worth mentioning that the cracks in the alliance were speculated earlier as well when AAP announced its intent to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, despite its alliance with the Congress. Following AAP's decision to fight alone in Punjab, the Congress party also asserted its decision to fight to polls on its own in the state. However, Delhi CM Kejriwal on Friday totally refused any kind of infighting in the I.N.D.I.A block.