Out on bail from Tihar Jail, Kejriwal may have his work cut out in Punjab

However, Sandhwan later did a U-turn and sought a report on all black sheep in the police department from the Home Secretary instead. And this was seen as Sandhwan’s way of hitting out at his own government, especially as he had broached the issue of corruption soon after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann left the floor of the House.

Next day, several MLAs had also raised several issues which was seen as an attack on the AAP-ruled government. They included Amritsar MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa. Five days ago Talwandi Sabo MLA Baljinder Kaur had met the Speaker and brought to his notice an alleged scam in the CSR funding of Guru Gobind Singh Refinery. She posted on the social media that the Speaker had assured her of taking action in that regard. But taking action in this regard is the CM’s prerogative, rather than the Speaker’s.

When Kejriwal was in jail, there were allegations against Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Bains and his IPS wife Jyoti Yadav that they were helping an accused in a ‘Rs 100-crore cyber scam’. The allegations were levelled by an inspector in a letter to the DGP. Bains has denied the allegations.

In Kejriwal’s absence, senior party leader Sanjay Singh had tried to iron out differences between CM Mann and Speaker Sandhwan after reports that several MLAs, under the leadership of Sandhwan had met Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, in Delhi. The meeting smacked of rebellion after the AAP’s poor show in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the insiders had said. The meeting mediated by Sanjay Singh took place in July.

However, Sandhwan has always denied the reports that he had led a group of MLAs to meet with Kejriwal’s wife even though the political circles have been abuzz with talk of ‘rebellion’. But after a meeting with Mann, the Speaker had downplayed it by saying, “I had gone to the Punjab CM’s residence to ensure that the bureaucracy gets active and efficient so that they are able to serve the people of the state better. There is nothing more to read in the meeting.”

In June, Sandhwan had organised a workshop in the Vidhan Sabha on issues concerning use of highly hazardous pesticides. The workshop did not get any media coverage. The Speaker had then sought a report from Secretary, Public Relations Department on the issue. It is learnt that Sandhwan raised this issue also with the CM at the meeting. A rejig in the CM’s Cabinet is also awaited after resignation of Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer as MP from Sangrur. Mann had met with Kejriwal in jail over the issue. However, it was deferred. The government was almost ready to induct Jalandhar MLA Mohinder Bhagat in the Cabinet, but the decision was reversed at the last minute.