 Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 16: While political parties across the spectrum have condemned the imposition of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on Doda-East MLA Mehraj Din Malik, internal rifts within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have come to the forefront. The differences surfaced after a group of party leaders held a press conference expressing solidarity with the arrested legislator, raising questions about discipline and coordination within the party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit.
The AAP leadership in the region has issued a show-cause notice to Safeer Choudhary, senior leader of AAP Jammu and Kashmir, for sharing the stage with another leader, Om Prakash Khajuria, during the press meet. The notice, served by Imran Hussain — former Delhi government minister and in-charge of AAP’s J&K affairs — asked Choudhary to explain his actions within 24 hours.
The press conference, held earlier this week, saw both Choudhary and Khajuria strongly opposing the PSA slapped on Mehraj Malik, calling it unjust and politically motivated. However, the leadership views the joint appearance as a breach of party protocol and flagged it as anti-party conduct.
Adding to the tensions, Om Internal rifts within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have come to the forefront.
The differences surfaced after a group of party leaders held a press conference expressing solidarity with the arrested legislator.
The group raised questions about discipline and coordination within the party’s J&K’s unit.
The AAP leadership has issued a show-cause notice to Safeer Choudhary for sharing the stage with another leader, Om Prakash Khajuria.
The PSA issue, which has drawn widespread condemnation from opposition parties, is seen by AAP’s leadership as an opportunity to expand its influence in Jammu and Kashmir’s politically sensitive landscape. Yet, the infighting threatens to undercut its efforts. While one faction pushes for aggressive campaigning on civil liberties, another seeks to maintain organizational discipline, wary of dissent spiraling into factionalism.
Political analysts suggest that the developments expose the challenges AAP faces in balancing grassroots activism with internal cohesion, especially as it aims to establish a foothold in the region ahead of upcoming elections.
As the party awaits Choudhary’s response, the episode underscores how issues of governance and dissent can intersect in volatile political spaces, raising larger questions about unity, leadership, and the future course of AAP in Jammu and Kashmir. |