AAP mulls replacing CM in Punjab post Delhi debacle? Bhagwant Mann says ‘part of the game’

AAP’s Punjab unit in Crisis? Following the debacle in Delhi that ended a decade of Arvind Kejriwal and AAP’s governance in the national capital, all attention is now on Punjab. AAP, now enjoys majority only in the state governed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Upon being asked if Bhagwant Mann will be replaced, the Punjab CM simply laughed it off. 

The Punjab Chief Minister was in Delhi for a meeting of AAP leaders. On Tuesday, an AAP meeting was held in Delhi attended by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, senior leader Manish Sisodia and all Punjab MLAs, besides other key party functionaries.

“Our MLAs reached here and we had a meeting with party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. He thanked them all for campaigning during the Delhi Assembly elections. Our government in Punjab has always worked for the public welfare whether it’s in education or infrastructure sectors. We need to speed up. Winning and losing is a part of the game”, Bhagwant Mann said. 

“People of Delhi still remember us as someone who worked for them. We have two years more in Punjab. We will make Punjab a good model.” CM Bhagwant Mann added. 

Mann bins Congress’ dissent claim in Punjab AAP

After AAP faced a Delhi drubbing, Congress had claimed that there is dissent in the AAP’s state unit, asserting dedication of its leaders and workers.

Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa recently claimed that over 30 AAP MLAs of the state’s ruling party were in touch with his party and could switch sides. Bajwa claimed these MLAs have realised that staying with AAP may not be politically beneficial in the long run.

In a stern comeback, CM Mann said, “I would ask Pratap Singh Bajwa to count how many MLAs they have in Delhi… The law and order of Punjab is better than most states… We have to put in extra effort being a border state, and we are doing that.”

Mann asserted that the AAP leaders are a “dedicated lot with no greed”.

“He (Bajwa) has been making claims earlier also that 20 MLAs or 40 MLAs are in touch with him. Let them say it. We have formed this party with our sweat and blood going among people in the villages and towns in the state,” Mann said.

Mann said that Punjab will be presented as a model state of development before the country ahead of the next assembly polls in the state. The AAP has 93 MLAs and the Congress 16 in the 117-member Punjab Assembly.