The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of treating politics as a marketplace where loyalty, ideology and public mandate are traded for power. Senior AAP leader and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that opposition leaders are used as “disposable pawns” to advance the BJP’s political interests.
Cheema’s Allegations Against BJP
Citing cases of Sunil Jakhar and Ravneet Singh Bittu, Cheema claimed the BJP follows a “use and throw” policy. He stated that the party lures Opposition leaders to create an impression of political growth in Punjab before sidelining them once their utility ends.
Cheema said Punjab’s politically aware electorate could see through what he described as the BJP’s attempts to establish a foothold in the state by projecting leaders who had crossed over from other parties.
BJP’s ‘Disposable Commodities’
“The BJP treats turncoat politicians as disposable commodities to satisfy its hunger for power. Recent political shifts reveal the BJP’s complete disregard for the Punjab leaders it inherits, using them strictly for short-term gains before tossing them aside,” Cheema said. He alleged that leaders joining the BJP had compromised Punjab’s interests and fallen into a political trap.
“The BJP’s standard operating procedure is to exploit Opposition faces to shield itself from public anger, only to discard them when they are no longer useful,” he added. Cheema emphasized that the electorate is aware of these tactics and will reject the BJP in future elections.
The AAP leader’s remarks come amid ongoing political realignments in Punjab, where several leaders have switched parties ahead of the next assembly elections. The BJP has been trying to expand its presence in the state, which is currently ruled by the AAP.
