Brewing discontent comes in the aftermath of notable defections from the party, most notably MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab is currently grappling with a series of challenges as discontent simmers within its ranks, particularly among block-level leaders in the Jalandhar region who are contemplating resignations due to what they perceive as a lack of substantial progress in developmental initiatives within their areas.
This brewing discontent comes in the aftermath of notable defections from the party, most notably those of MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural from the Jalandhar West constituency, both of whom have defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Sushil Kumar Rinku, upon his departure from the AAP, vocally criticized the party’s leadership for its failure to deliver on its promises related to the development of the city, citing issues such as the lack of progress in road repairs, inadequate management of garbage disposal, and the failure to provide basic amenities to the populace. Similarly, Sheetal Angural voiced his disillusionment with the AAP leadership, alleging that the party was withholding funds earmarked for development projects and stifling her ability to voice concerns, thus feeling marginalized and controlled by the party’s higher-ups.
On Wednesday, after inaugurating a BJP election office in Jalandhar, Rinku — who was the AAP’s only Lok Sabha MP before he joined BJP and was declared the candidate from Jalandhar — tore into the AAP saying drug abuse and crime have seen an alarming rise under its regime.
He also condemned the AAP’s “failure to deliver on its promises made to the people of Punjab”, highlighting its inability to execute development projects even after two years of forming the government in the state.
Earlier, state-level AAP joint secretary Balwant Singh too tendered resignation from all the posts, expressing disillusionment with the party’s leadership. Jalandhar-based Balwant Singh accused the AAP of sidelining the grassroots workers in favour of parachuted candidates for election campaigns.
Speaking to media, he highlighted the deteriorating infrastructure in his area (Bhargo camp area), non-functional street lights and unaddressed garbage accumulation as glaring examples of the party’s neglect.
Elaborating further Singh, who quit on Monday, said that in the 2023 Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat byelection, they (AAP) brought Rinku from the Congress to make an AAP candidate.
Before that in the 2022 Punjab assembly elections several local leaders, who had been working for the party since 2013-14, were ignored and the tickets were given to those who defected from other parties just before the polls.
Another disillusioned AAP leader, who chose to remain anonymous, voiced similar concerns about the party’s failure to fulfil its promise of bringing about a transformative change in Jalandhar. Disheartened by the lack of development in his area (Jalandhar North constituency side), he hinted at the possibility of leaving the party, “because of a sorry state of affairs”. When asked why he was not going on record, he said, “It will be seen as anti-party activity and may backfire.”
One of the block presidents that The Sunday Guardian spoke to said that no work is being done here. “I have several wards to look after and I have a connection with every worker in all those wards and they ask me ‘where is the development’? People have been sitting on dharnas for the past several months against the non-functioning of street lights, sewerage problems, and bad roads. How can we face the electorate and seek votes from them when nothing has changed on the ground,” he said, adding that a large number of party leaders are dissatisfied with the work of the AAP, which had got so much love and support from the people of Punjab in the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections.
A senior AAP leader from Jalandhar, requesting anonymity, said that the discontent among local AAP leaders underscores growing frustration within the ranks with the party’s governance and organizational strategies.
“While the AAP initially garnered support for its promise of bringing about a revolutionary change, things on the ground haven’t changed and that has left many disillusioned. As the spectre of resignation looms over the ranks in Jalandhar AAP, the party faces a daunting task of retaining its grassroots support amid other mounting poll-related challenges,” he added.
AAP working president in Punjab and MLA for Budhlada (Mansa district), Principal (retired) Budh Ram, told media, that things have been bad for the past 70 years and it will take some time to correct them. “Our local leaders acknowledge this and we have been working hard to set things right. Some leaders who support Rinku (referring to Sushil Kumar Rinku, the former AAP MP from Jalandhar who recently switched to the BJP) are showing resentment the way he (Rinku) showed, but others are happy with our work,” he added.”