Bhagwant Mann hits back at Gurpreet Ghuggi for questioning his selection as Punjab AAP chief

Chandigarh: Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday hit back at Gurpreet Singh Waraich 'Ghuggi' for questioning the process of appointment of the former as the chief of the AAP's Punjab unit asking him whether the procedure was right when he was made the party's state convener.

Ghuggi, the former convener of the AAP's Punjab unit today resigned from the party's primary membership and termed the process under which Mann was appointed the party's state chief a "farce".

Hitting back at Ghuggi, the newly appointed chief of the AAP's state unit said, "He was made the party's state convener within two months of joining. At that time, selection process was right? Now he raises question about it."

"I did not expect him to raise question about the selection process when the party has given him so much," Mann said.

"Today, he says, HS Phoolka or Sukhpal Khaira should have been made the state unit chief instead of me. When he was made the state convener of the AAP, then why did he not propose the names of Phoolka or Khaira. Why he is raising this issue now," he asked.

"Ghuggi joined the party when it was at the peak and he left it when the party lost the polls," the Sangrur MP said.

Mann said he had supported Ghuggi after he was made the state convener.

"He (Ghuggi) had even sought to contest Batala assembly. Despite being a star campaigner for the party, he did not hold any rally outside of his constituency. I held three rallies in his favour in his constituency," he said.

"In organisations, positions keep changing. One needs to have patience," the newly-appointed AAP's Punjab unit chief said, adding he has no greed for any post in the party.

"Even today, I am ready to perform the job of pasting the party's posters on walls," he said.

Asked whether the party will suffer any setback because of Ghuggi's resignation, Mann said, "Parties are above individuals. Yogendra Yadav, Parshant Bhushan left the AAP. But the party stayed."

"If you have come with any greed, then you will not stay long in the party. Today, you are raising question over the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. Why did he (Ghuggi) not resign earlier," he asked.

Taking a dig at the alleged drinking habit of the Sangrur MP, Ghuggi had said if the AAP really wanted to give him the responsibility of the state unit, then it could have waited for at least three months to ensure that he quits drinking.

Ghuggi's resignation came barely two days after the party appointed Mann as the new state chief of the AAP in a meeting, chaired by Kejriwal, in Delhi.