Ground being prepared to attack AAP leaders in Punjab: Sanjay

New Delhi, Aug 11: The Aam Aadmi Party today alleged Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal's remarks that ISI was fomenting terror in the state was a way to "prepare ground" for attacking AAP leaders in the run up to the state Assembly election next year.

"Sukhbir Singh Badal is the Home Minister of Punjab. Instead of making such baseless allegations, why does not he come up with proof about our sources of funding? Why does not he reveal the names of leaders who are on ISI radar?" AAP leader Sanjay Singh told a press conference here.

His reaction came after Badal accused AAP leaders of "aligning with radical groups of Punjab" and demanded a probe by a Central agency into the party's source of funding.

Singh, who is AAP's Punjab in-charge, also hit out at the Deputy Chief Minister over his allegations that pro-Khalistani groups were funding the party. He said Badal had emerged as a "comedy minister" by making such comments.

The AAP leader said the allegations were Badal's way of "preparing the ground" for deflecting criticism in future in the event of attacks on AAP leaders. He also referred to the past attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's convoy in Ludhiana.

"He (Badal) is making these allegations so that in the event of an attack, ISI is held responsible and not the SAD-BJP government," Singh said.

Asked about reports of discontent in the party's Punjab unit following the release of the first list of candidates for the 2017 Assembly polls, Singh said Sucha Singh Chotepur, party's state convenor, will meet Kejriwal to sort out the issues.

On whether AAP will declare its Chief Ministerial candidate in Punjab soon, Singh said the party will decide at an appropriate time as "we have a long list of leaders with absolute clean records."

PTI