Will Khaira's arrest fuel Congress-AAP mistrust, derail opposition unity?

New Delhi: The arrest of Congress leader and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira by the Punjab Police, in connection with an old case registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, may act as a trigger for further fueling mutual mistrust between INDIA bloc partners Congress and Aam Aadmi Party.

The latest friction between the two parties, over the arrest, may also turn out to be the trigger that derails attempts to create opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Sources stated that the arrest could very well lead to the downfall of the opposition alliance as Congress leaders in Punjab are seemingly unwilling to compromise after police action against its sitting MLA.

After the sudden arrest of Khaira, the state Congress leadership including senior leader Pratap Singh Bajwa and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring have informed top party leadership of the prevailing situation and the apprehension in the state unit, sources said.

“Punjab PCC may now harden its stance and oppose any plan by its central leadership to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with AAP,” sources added.

Interestingly, Khaira’s arrest came hours after the Congress legislator raised questions about senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha’s expensive wedding gift to his new bride Parineeti Chopra. “Will @raghav_chadha have the decency to clarify how he managed to gift a 4 Carat very expensive diamond ring to his newly wedded wife @ParineetiChopra (more than 10 times his declared income) while his income according to 2020-21 ITR is merely 2.44 Lacs? While she being a celebrity gifted him with a ring of lesser value? What is the truth? Punjab BADLAV wants to know?” Khaira asked on the social media websites.

Over the past few months, Congress and AAP leaders in Punjab and Delhi have been at loggerheads with each other, despite the top leadership of both parties announcing that the two were now part of the opposition INDIA bloc.

It is learnt that the state leadership of the two parties, which are direct opponents of each other in New Delhi and Punjab, are now refusing to take the middle ground. “The Congress’ high command doesn’t want to be seen associating with the AAP while one of its own legislators has been targeted and picked up by the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab,” sources said.

The two parties are now seemingly entangled in political warfare and no one wants to yield as they would look weak in front of their supporters.

It seems that a swift intervention by Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal may need to intervene swiftly to de-escalate tempers or else the illusion of a unified opposition INDIA bloc will also soon be shattered. Unless the move comes from the AAP’s side, the Punjab PCC doesn’t seem to be in the mood to let go of this affront to its leadership.

With each opposition political party vying for political space ahead of the 2024 general elections, the arrest of Khaira could turn out to be the one event that may break or resolve the fate of the INDIA bloc ahead of the crucial political battle.