The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in the Punjab Assembly on Friday. The Chief Minister stated that he would carry a copy of the motion when he meets President Droupadi Murmu on May 5 to demand the recall of seven Rajya Sabha MPs, six from Punjab, who recently defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Unity Amidst Rumors
Mann emphasized that AAP was united and the motion was introduced to counter "rumours" that the party was on the verge of disintegration. According to official sources, 88 of the 94 AAP MLAs were present in the House and voted in favor of the motion. Two AAP MLAs are currently abroad, two are in jail, and two are hospitalized.
This move comes after a Rajya Sabha setback when seven AAP MPs, led by Raghav Chadha, merged with the BJP. On Friday, AAP MLAs reaffirmed their unity, stating they stand as loyal soldiers of the party. The government declared that the motion was passed "unanimously," while opposition members were absent when it was taken up by voice vote.
Mann’s Address
Presenting the confidence motion, Mann alleged that attempts were being made to destabilize the government through misinformation. "Canards are being spread to create a sense of doubt in the minds of the people. But we have built this party with hard work and stand firmly with Arvind Kejriwal," he said. Mann claimed that the opposition's assertions that AAP MLAs are in contact with them merely reflect their own "panic."
"They are struggling to gain any traction ahead of the next elections despite their negative propaganda. Their own leaders—Capt Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar, Manpreet Singh Badal, and Fateh Jung Bajwa—are not in touch with them," he added, noting that the "broom is busy cleaning up the political system."
Mann further claimed that the BJP is in a state of panic after AAP won more than 700 local body seats in Gujarat. He suggested that the BJP's frustration stems from Punjab's new anti-sacrilege law, which prevents them from fueling communal tensions for political gain. "That is why BJP is cooking up such stories," Mann alleged.
Alleging collusion between the Congress and BJP, Mann said, "There have been Enforcement Directorate raids on Congress leaders in the past, but they never protested."
Support from Ministers
The motion was seconded by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who noted that people of Punjab elected only two BJP MLAs in the 117-member assembly in 2022. "But the Rajya Sabha MPs were arm-twisted and intimidated to join BJP. There were ED raids on the premises of Ashok Mittal," he said.
Cheema accused the BJP of running a "parallel Constitution" and attacking the federal structure. He claimed the BJP is trying to reach the figure of 123 members in Rajya Sabha by taking MPs from other parties. "After seven AAP MPs joined them, they are still 113. They may still try to follow this undemocratic process in other states to get a majority," he alleged.
Cabinet ministers Sanjeev Arora and Aman Arora spoke in favor of the resolution. AAP MLA Manjit Singh Bilaspur vowed that he would always stand with his party and predicted a return with a bigger majority. Arora stated that the confidence motion was necessitated by opposition claims that some AAP MLAs were in contact with them. "The resolution has been called to save democracy. Otherwise, the party stands united," he said.
Post-Session Remarks
Later, Mann told mediapersons outside the Assembly, "All speculations have been put to rest today regarding all those who were saying that 65 or 40 MLAs of AAP could switch sides." He remarked that the Congress's absence from the House was also a form of supporting the government's confidence motion. "The confidence motion secured unanimous support in the House, underlining the strength and unity of the Mann-led government," an official statement read.
BJP’s Mock Session
Meanwhile, the BJP held a mock session outside the Assembly where it 'passed' a no-confidence motion against the AAP government. Punjab BJP working president and Pathankot MLA Ashwani Sharma criticized the government for not releasing DA dues and said, "Crucial issues like gangsterism, drug deaths, and law and order collapse are not being debated. AAP's politics is built on untruth, and its promise to make Punjab drug-free has completely failed."
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar called it the "darkest hour of democracy." "People of Punjab have already judged this government and are eager to remove it. AAP leadership has turned Punjab into an ATM and is trying to extract as much as possible before leaving power," he alleged, warning bureaucrats not to "work against rules." "All their assets and properties are known," he remarked.
The mock assembly also passed "condolence resolutions" for over 1,600 youths who allegedly died due to drugs.
