AAP suspends Punjab MPs Gandhi and Khalsa

New Delhi: The political affairs committee (PAC) of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday suspended Dharamvira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa from the primary membership of the party for anti-party activities.

Disciplinary proceedings have been referred against the two members of Parliament (MPs) from Punjab to the party’s national disciplinary action committee.

“In its meeting on 29 August 2015, the PAC took cognizance of anti-party activities indulged in by Dharamavira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa in Punjab. In a unanimous decision, the PAC suspended Khalsa and Gandhi from the party and referred their cases to the National Disciplinary Action Committee,” a statement released by the party said.

“Fed up with two terms of misrule by the BJP-SAD combine, people of Punjab have decided to go with Aam Aadmi Party to bring Delhi model of corruption-free governance to the state. Mr Gandhi and Mr Khalsa have joined hands with the corrupt BJP-SAD leaders in Punjab and have betrayed the faith of the common man,” it said.

The two leaders allegedly organized a parallel conference in Punjab on Saturday and used pictures of national convener Arvind Kejriwal along with the remaining MPs. Gandhi and Khalsa had also accused the Delhi unit of excessive control in July.

The three-member national disciplinary action committee comprises senior AAP members Pankaj Gupta, Dilip Pandey and Deepak Bajpai. The committee will look into complaints of anti-party activities and indiscipline against the two MPs.

The AAP, which has begun preparations for state elections in Punjab, had four members from the state in the Lok Sabha.

“The PAC expresses its concern over anti-party activities indulged in by Mr Dharamvira Gandhi and Mr Harinder Singh Khalsa. Mr Gandhi and Mr Khalsa have been involved in the activities of certain outfits, opposed to aims and objectives of the party. The only aim of these outfits is to damage the Aam Aadmi Party and anti-corruption movement in the country,” the statement added.

Earlier this year, the AAP had suspended founder members including Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from the primary membership of the party.

“Suspension of MPs Dharamvir Gandhi and Khalsa by AAP shows vertical split in Punjab and no tolerance for honesty and dissent in the party,” Prashant Bhushan said on Twitter.