Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal.

AAM AADMI Party (AAP) is looking for a house in Punjab for Delhi Chief Minister and party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal to use as a base from September, when he will start spending at least 15 days every month in the state in the run-up to the 2017 Assembly election, a newly appointed state party functionary said.

Jarnail Singh, co-incharge of Punjab affairs of AAP, told The Indian Express that the house, from where Kejriwal would be operating, will either be a rented accommodation or a party volunteer’s accommodation.

He said the place will be finalised by next month. “Since Kejriwal will be staying here for many days in a month we are looking for a house for him. It would be centrally located either in Ludhiana or Phagwara so that he could access all parts of the state conveniently,” said Jarnail Singh.

He added it was being felt that it would not be convenient for Kejriwal to operate from a guest house or a circuit house, hence, he should be given a house. “Suppose he would be here for three days in a week and in Delhi for the next three days, it is only logical for him to find a house here.”

Asked if the party chief moving into a house in Punjab would not fuel speculation that Kejriwal was preparing to be chief minister candidate of AAP in Punjab, Jarnail Singh said “There has been no decision to this effect as of now. Party’s decision is that Punjab should be led by a Punjabi.”

Asked who would be the party’s CM candidate, Jarnail said the party would announce the candidate at an appropriate time.

Jarnail Singh, who was in Punjab for the first time after his appointment, said he would placate all those who are upset after being denied ticket. “I will hug them and placate them. I am going to tell them that the life does not end at Vidhan Sabha elections. There would be scores of election like municipal corporation, Lok Sabha and there would be many political postings in boards and corporations. They wild all be adjusted in some way or the other. Let us first remove Akalis and save Punjab,” he said adding his appointment had nothing to do with the protests or an objective to curtail powers of any office bearer of the party.

“I was earlier in Punjab as an observer during Lok Sabha election. When we contested Delhi I was sent there. Now Punjab is hot again and I have been asked to come here. There is nothing else to read,” he said.

Jarnail placates Chhotepur

As a part of placating exercise, Jarnail Singh is leant to have met Chhotepur today and told him he was a valued party colleague. The party’s state convenor has been upset with the party ever since he was ignored in the allotment of tickets. He had stayed away from the official announcement of both the lists.

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