In a major setback to the expansion plans of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Jammu and Kashmir, former education minister and three-time MLA from Ramnagar constituency, Harsh Dev Singh, on Thursday parted ways with the Arvind Kejriwal’s outfit.
In a video clip, Harsh Dev announced his decision to quit the AAP in order to revive the Panthers Party, which was formed by his uncle Prof Bhim Singh in 1982. Bhim had died after a prolonged illness at the age of 82 on May 31 last year.
“We have held several consultations and arrived at the decision to revive the Panthers Party, for which our ancestors have made sacrifices,” he further said in the clip.
Harsh Dev was chairperson of the AAP’s state coordination committee in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir need a strong, regional voice to represent their interests, and the revival of the Panthers Party will serve the purpose,” he added.
The former education minister’s decision has not only dealt a major blow to the AAP’s plans in Jammu and Kashmir, but would also cast significant implications on the political landscape of the region.
The union territory is likely to go to maiden assembly polls this year following the revocation of Articles 370 and 35-A on August 5, 2019. The AAP has been planning to contest on all the 90 seats in the polls.
Amid a strong wave of the AAP, Harsh Dev had joined the party on May 7 last year in New Delhi in the presence of party leader Sanjay Singh.
Ever since Harsh Dev joined the AAP, curtains were virtually drawn over the Panthers Party because he was the third leader of the outfit, who had joined the Kejriwal’s party. Former MLAs of the Panthers Party — Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yash Paul Kundal — had already joined the AAP by then.
At the time of his induction, Harsh Dev had praised the AAP’s model of governance.
“AAP’s work in the field of education, health, electricity and water is being appreciated everywhere. In J&K, we need a similar revolution for the people who are deprived of basic facilities. We need a solid plan to eradicate corruption and provide good governance to the people there,” he had said.
Jaya Mala, wife of Prof Bhim Singh and one of the founding members of Panthers Party, had come out openly in favor of Harsh Dev and pledged support to the former education minister.
