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Revolt in AAP against Kejriwal after he apologises to Majithia to get out of defamation case

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8 years ago

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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is facing a revolt in Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over his apology by to Shrimani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Majithia, for accusing him of involvement in drug racket.

Kejriwal’s apology came even as Punjab government appointed a two-member panel to examine and suggest action on the special task force (STF) report on the alleged role of former revenue minister and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia with drug traffickers.

While AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also voiced disagreement with Kejriwal, AAP’s Punjab unit MLAs held a press conference on Friday, March 16, and slammed Keriwal’s apology. Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Sukhpal Khaira said that Kejriwal’s decision reflects ‘mental weakness.

“Strongly condemn Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to Bikram Majithia. Nobody was consulted before he took this decision. This shows that he has become weak and also raises questions on his talks with Akali Dal. For me welfare of Punjab’s people is most important,” Khaira added

He said that a ‘final decision’ by party MLAs will be taken later in the evening. The MLAs said that all decisions will be taken in Punjab’s favour.

“Many people are unhappy (with Arvind Kejriwal‘s apology to Bikram Singh Majithia). I hope justice will be done as people like BS Majithia deserve to be in jail,” AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said.

During elections, AAP had made drug abuse in the state as a major issue. Kejriwal, who was leading the AAP, had accused Majithia of being involved in narcotics trade.

Many AAP leaders had reacted angrily to Kejriwal’s decision to apologise to Majithia as soon as they came to know of it. “I fail to understand the timing of Kejriwal’s apology when STF of PB has stated to the High Court today that there’s substantial evidence to proceed against Bikram Majitha on the issue of drugs,” Khaira had said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]”We’re appalled n stunned by the apology of @ArvindKejriwal tendered today, we don’t hesitate to admit that we haven’t been consulted on this meek surrender by a leader of his stature (sic),” Khaira tweeted.

AAP leader Bhagwant Mann resigned from his post as AAP state president. “I’m resigning as a president of AAP Punjab …but my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an ‘Aam Aadmi’ of Punjab,” Mann tweeted Friday. In the past, the Sangrur MP had held Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Badal family responsible for bringing drugs to Punjab.

Another senior AAP leader Kanwar Sandhu also reacted sharply.

“Arvind Kejriwal’ apology to Bikram Majithia in the defamation case on drugs is a let down to the people, especially the youth of Punjab. We in Punjab have not been taken into the loop. Our fight for Punjab continues,” Sandhu tweeted.

“I have seen the pain of parents who lost their young ones due to and they blame Bikram Majithia for it. Hereby I still believe that Bikram Majithia was involved in drugs until he is given a clean chit after a thorough independent enquiry by CBI,(sic)” Harjot Bains, the chief spokesperson of Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab unit was reported to have said.

Aman Arora, co-president AAP Punjab, said that he was ‘shocked and disappointed’ after coming to know about the apology. “Shocked and disappointed to know about the apology tendered by Arvind Kejriwal 2 Majithia. I still believe drugs wud not have taken so much young lives had the previous Govt not patronised drug mafia. Our fight against drugs continues,(sic)” Arora said, according to a report in The Financial Express (FE).

Leaders from ruling Congress also slammed AAP. Navjot Singh Sindhu said, “It is a let down to the people of Punjab. I feel Kejriwal has murdered AAP in Punjab. It is as if their existence has been wiped off. With what face will they speak against drugs in Punjab now?”

Arvind Kejriwal had written to Majithia saying he had learnt that his allegations were unfounded. “In the recent past I made certain statements and allegations against you regarding your alleged involvement in drug trade. These statements became a political issue. Now I’ve learnt that the allegations are unfounded. Hence there should be no politics on such issues. I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologise for the same,” Kejriwal said.

Majithia spoke to media after Kejriwal’s apology letter. He said he was grateful that ‘truth’ had ‘won’. Majithia added that he did not want to pursue the defamation case filed against him since the AAP leader had “tendered his apology”.

“I thank Kejriwal for showing greatness in seeking apology for his remarks made against me. I have told my lawyers that from our side, this case ends as Kejriwal has sought apology. I have asked my counsels to withdraw the defamation case. Person makes mistake and with the grace of God, if I have the ability to forgive and I will forgive,” the SAD leader said.

“I had said from the beginning that either he will say sorry or he will go to jail. Sending someone to jail is not my intention,” he asserted.

“It is indeed a historical moment that a sitting chief minister has submitted a written apology in court withdrawing all statements he made against me,” said Majithia.

AAP leader Ashish Khetan had apologized as well, he added.

Majithia had filed a defamation case against Kejriwal and two other AAP leaders, Sanjay Singh and Ashish Khetan, in May 2016.

Majithia’s counsel told The Indian Express that the defamation case against AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a Ludhiana court will continue unless Singh himself apologises for the drug dealer remark he had made for Majithia.

AAP alliance partner Lok Insaf Party’s Simarjit Singh Bains, responding to whether they will snap the alliance with AAP, said that Kejriwal’s apology was a “betrayal to people of Punjab”. He added that people would “not bear with it”. “This is a non-issue, probably there is a back-door dealing behind it. Our MLAs will sit together & take a collective decision,” said Bains.

AAP leaders in New Delhi, however, said the move was to shed court cases, in which the party convenor finds himself mired, and hinted that a similar course could be adopted in the defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

AAP’s Delhi unit, according to media reports, said Kejriwal was facing dozens of civil and criminal cases related to defamation, putting hoardings or posters during election campaigns, violation of Sec 144, public protests etc in Delhi and other parts of India like Varanasi, Amethi, Punjab, Assam, Maharashtra, Goa and many other places.

“Most of these cases require personal appearance in court. These cases have been foisted by our political rivals to de-motivate us and keep our leadership busy in these legal matters. The decision to amicably sort out all such legal cases is a strategy as devised by the legal team of the party. The political cases in Delhi have been put on fast track forcing MLAs andmMinisters to virtually attend cases on daily basis in courts at Delhi and other states,” spokesperson of AAP’s Delhi unit Saurabh Bharadwaj said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Omar Abdullah distances INDIA bloc from Congress’s vote chori campaign

Omar Abdullah has clarified that the INDIA opposition bloc is not linked to the Congress’s ‘vote chori’ campaign, saying each party is free to set its own agenda.

Published

14 mins ago

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December 15, 2025

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has drawn a clear line between the INDIA opposition bloc and the Congress’s ongoing ‘vote chori’ campaign, stating that the alliance has no role in the issue being raised by the grand old party.

Speaking to the media, Abdullah said every political party within the alliance is free to decide its own priorities. He underlined that the Congress has chosen to focus on alleged irregularities linked to voter lists and electoral processes, while other parties may pursue different agendas.

According to Abdullah, the INDIA bloc as a collective is not associated with the ‘vote chori’ narrative. He added that no party within the alliance should dictate what issues another constituent should raise in public discourse.

The remarks came days after the Congress organised a large rally in the national capital to intensify its campaign. The party has alleged that the Election Commission is working in favour of the BJP to influence electoral outcomes. Both the poll body and the ruling party have rejected these claims.

INDIA bloc cohesion under scrutiny

Abdullah’s comments have gained significance as they follow his recent observation that the INDIA bloc is currently on “life support”. That remark, made during an interaction at a leadership summit in Delhi, triggered mixed reactions from alliance partners.

At the event, Abdullah had said the opposition grouping revives intermittently but struggles to maintain momentum, especially after electoral setbacks. He also pointed to the Bihar political developments, suggesting that decisions taken by the alliance may have contributed to Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA fold. He further cited the inability to accommodate the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Bihar seat-sharing talks as a missed opportunity.

Allies respond to Omar Abdullah’s remarks

Reactions from within the INDIA bloc reflected differing views on Abdullah’s assessment. RJD leader Manoj Jha termed the remarks “rushed” and said responsibility for strengthening the alliance lies with all constituents, including Abdullah himself.

CPI general secretary D Raja called for introspection among alliance partners, questioning the lack of coordination despite the stated objective of defeating the BJP and safeguarding democratic values.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai disagreed with the “life support” analogy, saying electoral defeats are part of politics and should not demoralise opposition forces. He cautioned that internal pessimism only serves the BJP’s interests.

BJP targets opposition unity

The BJP seized on the comments to attack the opposition bloc’s unity. Senior leader Shahnawaz Hussain dismissed the INDIA alliance as defunct, claiming it lost relevance after the Lok Sabha elections and lacks leadership and a clear policy direction.

Abdullah’s latest clarification on the ‘vote chori’ campaign reinforces the visible differences within the opposition alliance, even as its constituents continue to debate strategy and coordination ahead of future political battles.

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Nitin Nabin terms BJP working president role a party blessing, thanks leadership

BJP national working president Nitin Nabin has termed his appointment a blessing of the party, thanking its leadership and pledging to work on the ideals of his late father.

Published

27 mins ago

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December 15, 2025

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Nitin Nabin

Newly appointed BJP national working president Nitin Nabin on Monday described his elevation as a blessing bestowed by the party and expressed gratitude to its top leadership for placing faith in him.

Speaking to reporters in Patna after paying floral tributes to a statue of his late father, former BJP MLA Nabin Kishor Prasad Sinha, the Bihar minister said he would continue to work on the principles he inherited from his family and the organisation.

“I have always worked on the ideas of my father, who treated the party like his mother and put the nation above everything else. I believe that is why the party has given me this responsibility,” Nabin said. He later visited Mahavir Mandir in the city to offer prayers.

Gratitude to Prime Minister, focus on Antyodaya

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance, Nabin said development under the current leadership has reached towns and villages across the country. He added that the party has expanded its presence and emerged as a platform representing the poor.

According to Nabin, no section of society has remained untouched by the welfare initiatives of the NDA government. He said the idea of Antyodaya has now reached every corner of India, recalling the contributions of Deendayal Upadhyaya, Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in shaping the philosophy.

On elections and party organisation

Responding to questions on upcoming elections, including in West Bengal, Nabin said BJP workers remain active at all times. He remarked that unlike other parties, BJP cadres work round the year and remain prepared in every state.

At 45, Nabin is a five-time MLA from the Bankipur assembly constituency and has served twice as a minister in the Bihar government. He comes from an RSS background and is currently part of the Nitish Kumar-led state cabinet.

A generational shift in the party

Nabin’s appointment as national working president on Sunday was seen as a significant organisational move. The position, though not mentioned in the party constitution, has earlier served as a transition role before elevation to the top post.

Prime Minister Modi publicly endorsed the decision, describing Nabin as a hardworking and grounded leader with strong organisational experience. Party leaders have projected the move as part of a generational shift, with Nabin expected to follow a trajectory similar to that of the current national president, who had earlier served as working president before taking charge of the organisation.

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BJP demands Sonia Gandhi’s apology over Congress rally slogan targeting PM Modi

A slogan raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Congress rally in Jaipur has sparked a political storm, with the BJP demanding an apology from Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders.

Published

2 hours ago

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December 15, 2025

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A political controversy has erupted after a slogan referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “grave” was raised during a Congress rally in Jaipur, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to demand an apology from senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi.

The slogan was raised at a ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ rally held in Rajasthan’s capital, where Manju Lata Meena, Jaipur women’s Congress district president, led a group chanting the remark against the Prime Minister. The rally was organised to highlight the Opposition’s allegations of vote theft against the BJP.

When questioned later, Meena defended her statement, saying it reflected public anger over alleged electoral issues. She also accused the Prime Minister of diverting attention from concerns related to employment, youth, women and farmers.

BJP seeks apology from Congress leadership

The remarks triggered sharp reactions from the ruling party. BJP president and Union minister JP Nadda raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, calling the slogan highly objectionable and accusing the Congress of revealing its mindset through such language. He demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, and Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju also criticised the slogan, saying political rivals are not enemies and such statements cross acceptable boundaries. Addressing a press conference, he urged Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to apologise on the floor of both Houses of Parliament. Rijiju said it was unfortunate that Congress workers were using language that appeared to incite violence against a constitutional authority.

Congress response and allies’ reactions

Congress MP Manickam Tagore dismissed the BJP’s reaction, claiming that the rally had unsettled ruling party leaders. He said the response from BJP leaders showed they were rattled by the Opposition’s campaign.

However, some of Congress’s allies distanced themselves from the slogan. A Samajwadi Party MP said political differences should not translate into disrespectful language for those holding constitutional posts. A senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) also termed the slogan inappropriate, stating that regardless of political disagreements, the Prime Minister’s position must be respected.

The episode has added to the ongoing war of words between the BJP and the Congress, with both sides trading accusations as Parliament’s Winter Session continues.

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