Why did AAP suspend its Punjab MLA? All you need to know about Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana on Saturday slammed the party leadership and the Punjab government, alleging that they have failed to address the shortage of teachers in some government schools in his constituency.

However, AAP rejected the allegations and suspended Maiserkhan for what it described as “anti-party activities and indiscipline”.

What did Maiserkhana say?

Maiserkhana, who represents the Maur constituency in Bathinda district, said in a Facebook live broadcast that he decided to raise the issue publicly after repeated efforts to address the teacher shortage failed to yield a solution.

The MLA questioned the AAP government’s claims of improving the school education system in Punjab, saying that conditions on the ground did not reflect the image presented by the party.

The MLA became emotional while talking about the issue as he said his own son attends the government School of Eminence where he claimed there is also a shortage of teachers. He further claimed that he is the only legislator from the ruling party whose children attend a government school.

“I am going live after the grief. I kept demanding to fill the teaching posts but it has not happened yet,” the AAP MLA said while leveling his criticism at the government led by his own party.

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He said that after drawing the attention of the party leadership about the shortage of teachers, he was informed that the Chief Minister wanted to meet him.

“But he didn’t meet me,” he claimed and went on to state, “How long will I tolerate this? What have I done wrong to the party?”

The AAP legislator said he was aware that the party might deny him a ticket in the upcoming elections, but maintained that this would not stop him from raising issues concerning the people. “But I will continue to fight for the people,” he said.

He said he had raised his concerns with the party’s top leadership, but claimed no solution had been found. “Tell me where I’m going wrong,” he said.

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The MLA also said that he feared that an FIR might be registered against him due to his criticism. According to him, the principal of the school even told his son to ask him to ensure that vacant teaching posts are filled.

“My fight is for schools. If nothing is done in schools, then what will one do with such an education? Among all the MLAs, only my children are studying in a government school,” he added.

AAP Punjab General Secretary reacts

Following the MLA’s public criticism, AAP Punjab General Secretary Harchand Singh Barsat announced that Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana has been expelled from the party with immediate effect.

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In issuing the suspension, Barsat said: “The party has learned that you have been involved in anti-party activities and indiscipline. In view of the above, your primary membership in the party is suspended with immediate effect.”

Opposition targets AAP government over teacher shortage

The opposition parties seized on the AAP MLA’s allegations to attack the Punjab government and called on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to resign.

Punjab President Pargat Singh said Maiserkhan’s allegations vindicated the Congress’s criticism of the AAP government’s education policies over the past four-and-a-half years. He claimed that the party’s claims of a revolution in education were publicity led and accused the government of adopting a dictatorial approach.

Singh also said that Maiserkhana was the only AAP MLA who enrolled his children in a government school. He claimed that like many people in Punjab, the lawmaker was initially convinced by AAP’s Delhi model and its claims to transform the education system.

“The MLA herself brought to light today in tears the reality of teachers and facilities in schools and the reality of ignoring his demands on schools,” Singh wrote in a post on X.

The BJP’s Punjab unit said Maiserkhan’s report “hit the ‘education revolution’ narrative promoted by the ruling party in the state.”

“The sitting AAP MLA, Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana, says he has repeatedly raised basic issues such as school repairs and teacher appointments, but no one listened.

“Now he says that despite being a sitting MLA of the ruling party, he can’t even get a meeting with the Chief Minister. If an AAP MLA can’t even meet his own Chief Minister, then what does that say about the common people who are trying to be heard?” Congress chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said this.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also targeted the AAP government and said its “fake” “Sikhya Kranti” was “exposed” by its own MLAs.

“After four years, they can’t even provide classroom teachers. What’s the point of renaming schools as ‘Eminence Schools’ when basic facilities are missing? Their own MLA says his children complain about lack of teachers; principals go begging but the government doesn’t listen. Instead of wasting crores of rupees in advertising these schools, Badal should have recruited staff.”