The internal divisions between the Punjab units of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have escalated to the national stage, potentially fracturing the INDIA alliance's aim of presenting a unified opposition against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The trigger for this conflict was the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, a vocal opponent of any alliance with the AAP, in a 2015 case related to drug smuggling and money laundering.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, while addressing Khaira's arrest, emphasized the party's stance against injustice, warning that those who perpetrate it do not thrive for long. These remarks signal growing tensions within the INDIA alliance, which was established to project a united opposition front.

The day began with Khaira's arrest, and he subsequently accused the ruling AAP in Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, of harboring animosity towards him, even suggesting that Mann might attempt to harm him physically. Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh asserted that fresh evidence had emerged in the case, emphasizing that the law applies equally to all, regardless of political affiliation.

Kharge, speaking after an event in Chhattisgarh, expressed his intention to gather details of Khaira's arrest but warned against injustice. He implied that the Congress would not tolerate mistreatment.

While the Congress and AAP have attempted to present a united front on the national stage, their actions in Punjab have been characterized by discord. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned Khaira's arrest as an attempt to intimidate the opposition. The Congress state unit held meetings to address the situation and sought the governor's intervention.

The AAP, on the other hand, voiced its reluctance to form an alliance with a discredited party in Punjab, citing corruption allegations. This incident exacerbates the challenges the INDIA alliance faces in Punjab regarding seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls, an issue that has proven contentious.

In summary, the arrest of Sukhpal Singh Khaira has exposed deepening fault lines within the INDIA alliance in Punjab, potentially undermining the broader goal of presenting a united opposition against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The internal divisions between the Punjab units of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have escalated to the national stage, potentially fracturing the INDIA alliance's aim of presenting a unified opposition against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The trigger for this conflict was the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, a vocal opponent of any alliance with the AAP, in a 2015 case related to drug smuggling and money laundering.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, while addressing Khaira's arrest, emphasized the party's stance against injustice, warning that those who perpetrate it do not thrive for long. These remarks signal growing tensions within the INDIA alliance, which was established to project a united opposition front.

The day began with Khaira's arrest, and he subsequently accused the ruling AAP in Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, of harboring animosity towards him, even suggesting that Mann might attempt to harm him physically. Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh asserted that fresh evidence had emerged in the case, emphasizing that the law applies equally to all, regardless of political affiliation.

Kharge, speaking after an event in Chhattisgarh, expressed his intention to gather details of Khaira's arrest but warned against injustice. He implied that the Congress would not tolerate mistreatment.

While the Congress and AAP have attempted to present a united front on the national stage, their actions in Punjab have been characterized by discord. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned Khaira's arrest as an attempt to intimidate the opposition. The Congress state unit held meetings to address the situation and sought the governor's intervention.

The AAP, on the other hand, voiced its reluctance to form an alliance with a discredited party in Punjab, citing corruption allegations. This incident exacerbates the challenges the INDIA alliance faces in Punjab regarding seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls, an issue that has proven contentious.

In summary, the arrest of Sukhpal Singh Khaira has exposed deepening fault lines within the INDIA alliance in Punjab, potentially undermining the broader goal of presenting a united opposition against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.