A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia for alleging that he was involved in “drug trade”, Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann resigned from his post on Friday.

“I’m resigning as a president of AAP Punjab… But my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an ‘Aam Aadmi’ (common man) of Punjab,” AAP MP from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency, tweeted.

ਮੈਂ ਆਮ ਆਦਮੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨਗੀ ਦੇ ਅਹੁਦੇ ਤੋਂ ਅਸਤੀਫ਼ਾ ਦੇ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ ..
I m resigning as a president of AAP Punjab …but my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an “Aam Aadmi “ of Punjab

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— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) March 16, 2018

In the latest development, enraged party MLAs are holding a meet to decide course of action.

Kejriwal’s step drew flak from the Punjab AAP leaders who termed the “meek surrender” a “letdown”.

AAP leaders in New Delhi, however, said the move was to shed court cases, in which the party convenor finds himself mired, and hinted that a similar course could be adopted in the defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Party’s Punjab leaders could hardly suppress their anger at the developments. Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and senior AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira took to Twitter to vent his disagreement.

“We’re appalled n stunned by the apology of @ArvindKejriwal tendered today, we don’t hesitate to admit that we haven’t been consulted on this meek surrender by a leader of his stature (sic),” Khaira tweeted.

Another senior AAP leader Kanwar Sandhu also reacted sharply and tweeted, “Arvind Kejriwal’ apology to Bikram Majithia in the defamation case on drugs is a let down to the people, especially the youth of Punjab. We in Punjab have not been taken into the loop. Our fight for Punjab continues.”

Majithia had filed a defamation case against the Aam Aadmi Party chief and others following the allegation made during campaigning in the Punjab assembly elections.

Apologising to the leader, the AAP convener had said, “I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologize for the same.”

He also said that he has now learnt that the allegations were “unfounded” and the damage caused to Majithia’s esteem and the loss caused to him was regretted.

(With agency inputs)