AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj Accuses Haryana CM of Offering BJP Ticket for 2027 Punjab Elections
Chandigarh: In a significant political development, Narinder Kaur Bharaj, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Sangrur, has made serious allegations against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. Bharaj claimed on Thursday that Saini offered her a BJP ticket for the upcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly elections and sought a confidential meeting to discuss his party's strategic plans.
Allegations of Political Maneuvering
Speaking to the media, Bharaj detailed the incident, stating, "The BJP is running 'Operation Lotus' across the country in an attempt to topple elected governments. A few days ago, Saini tried to contact me for a closed-door meeting. He tempted me with a BJP ticket from Sangrur, assuring that any demand I made would be fulfilled." When questioned about how the contact was initiated, Bharaj explained that she was approached through a prominent individual in Sangrur. "He proposed that I join the saffron party along with my supporters to contest on a BJP ticket. The BJP appears desperate for candidates in every Punjab constituency, but I have the distinction of becoming AAP's first woman polling agent in 2014, and I will not abandon the party," she asserted.
Bharaj's Commitment to AAP
Bharaj, who became Punjab's youngest MLA at the age of 27, emphasized her deep-rooted connection to AAP. "I joined the party in 2014 when I was just 19 years old, inspired by the visionary policies of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann. I started as a grassroots worker, even putting up posters for the party. Only AAP would give a small farmer's daughter the honour of becoming an MLA," she remarked, highlighting her unwavering loyalty.
Criticism of Haryana CM and BJP Tactics
Criticizing Saini's actions, Bharaj said, "The way Saini Sahib has been roaming the streets of Punjab lately, it seems the BJP has sent him on deputation. My advice to him is to stop worrying about me or Punjab and focus on addressing the issues in Haryana. The people of Punjab and AAP MLAs stand firmly like a rock with CM Mann and Kejriwal." She further stressed the unity within AAP, adding, "We entered politics to transform the system and provide essential services like health and education, not to indulge in horse-trading. We are fully prepared for the 2027 elections, and these cheap tactics will not shake our resolve."
AAP's Response and Historical Context
Meanwhile, Baltej Pannu, AAP Punjab's media in-charge, responded to the allegations, stating, "The BJP is once again unsuccessfully trying to crush democracy in Punjab through 'Operation Lotus.' This is not the first time they have attempted to buy AAP MLAs, but they forget that Punjabis value their honour above all." Pannu also took a jab at Saini's governance, saying, "Saini should keep his 'Haryana Model,' where people suffer under expensive electricity tariffs. Punjab follows the AAP model, which offers free electricity and initiatives like the Sadak Suraksha Force (SSF)—facilities that are non-existent in his failed model."
The AAP has frequently accused the BJP of attempting to destabilize its governments in Punjab and Delhi. In September 2022, the party alleged that BJP agents offered at least 10 Punjab MLAs Rs 25 crore each to switch sides. These claims led to the filing of an FIR by the Punjab Police and a subsequent confidence motion in the state assembly to demonstrate party unity.
