Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday branded the defecting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs as 'gaddars' (traitors) of Punjab, predicting their political oblivion in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and dismissing their exit as the departure of 'non-mass leaders'.
Mann's Strong Reaction to Defections
Addressing the media, Mann stated, 'These six-seven people who have quit AAP are not Punjab, they are gaddars. A party and its organisation are bigger than individuals. They got positions on a platter without facing the electorate. But they have no future in the BJP.' He drew parallels with other politicians who joined the BJP and faded, citing examples of Jyotiraditya Scindia, Captain Amarinder Singh, Manpreet Singh Badal, and Ravneet Singh Bittu. 'See what happened to Jyotiraditya Scindia, Capt Amarinder Singh, you don't hear of Manpreet Singh Badal. Ravneet Singh Bittu is a little active, but they will abandon him when they realise he has no say in the state,' Mann added.
Allegations Against BJP
Slamming the saffron party, Mann said, 'The BJP has done gaddari (betrayal) with Punjab.' He argued that the BJP is repeating the same pattern of sabotage seen in Maharashtra with parties of Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, and against the Congress. Mann asserted that the BJP is 'rattled' by AAP's progress and, having no grassroots base of its own, is resorting to underhanded tactics. 'They got nervous and decided to create problems in our party,' he said.
On the MPs' Political Future
When asked if the MPs' exit could have a bearing on the next Punjab assembly elections, Mann replied, 'They are not mass leaders. Even a sarpanch has a dedicated vote bank. They did not earn votes but were rewarded with Rajya Sabha membership, otherwise they are not worthy of becoming a sarpanch.' He further questioned, 'How will they face people of Punjab now? They mistook official salutes for personal popularity. People of Punjab will teach them a lesson.' Mann added that the party has no machine that can find out if one is 'deceitful at heart'.
BJP's Alleged Manipulation
Mann claimed the BJP harbours a deep-seated dislike for Punjab. He pointed to the withholding of the rural development fund (RDF) and accused it of failed attempts to create a breakaway group of AAP MLAs. 'The BJP cannot win in Punjab but indulges in tikdam baazi (manipulation),' he alleged.
Economic Intimidation Allegations
Mann further alleged that the BJP uses economic intimidation to coerce rivals. 'They must have scared them. Harbhajan Singh is a commentator, and they might have threatened to make him jobless as they control the BCCI. My own ‘Jugnu' serial was taken off air,' he said. He accused the BJP of using agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) to destabilise rivals, pointing to the recent raid on MP Ashok Mittal and the pressure on Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal.
Warning to Defectors
Mann said the BJP is not a party of 'Bharat ki janta' but is actually a party of 'Kadde-Wadde-Chadde.' 'Before joining the BJP, our MPs should have consulted Dushyant Chautala. The BJP finishes any party it enters into an alliance with,' he said. 'If someone cheats Punjabis, they don't forget it,' said Mann, adding that AAP faced a similar situation when Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira quit with a group of rebel AAP MLAs. 'Where are they now?' Mann asked.
Dig at Raghav Chadha
Taking a jab at Raghav Chadha, CM Bhagwant Mann remarked, 'Chadha claims he was ‘suffocating' within the AAP, yet he seemed to breathe just fine while enjoying his stay at House No. 50 in Chandigarh.' Mann quipped, 'Even a bicycle has a stand.'
AAP Stays United
CM Bhagwant Mann said that AAP and its organisation stood united as a party and the leaving of the MPs would not make any difference. 'There is no bad blood among AAP MLAs in Punjab and we amicably sort out our issues,' he said, adding, 'Parties don't break up like this. AAP is already a national party.'
Mann Dares ED
CM Bhagwant Mann said, 'I am asking the ED to conduct a raid at my residence. There is no currency that can buy Bhagwant Mann. I dare them to buy me over. There is no price for people's love and affection.'
Seechewal to Continue Representing Punjab
Replying to a question, CM Bhagwant Mann said Balbir Singh Seechewal (from Punjab) continues to be with AAP and the party's other MPs like Sanjay Singh and NDD Gupta will also raise the state's issues. 'But these MPs (who quit) had gone to represent Punjab but cheated Punjabis,' he said.
Advice to BJP
CM Bhagwant Mann said when the BJP could not find corruption charges against him, they decided 'to break my people,' adding, 'But I have no group of MPs and MLAs. People of Punjab are my group. They planned to break our party without realising that the BJP has only two MLAs in the state. Instead of borrowing leaders from other parties, they should try to win people's hearts.'
