CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday delivered a sharp rebuke to the seven Rajya Sabha MPs who recently defected from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In his trademark blend of satire and storytelling, Mann compared the political "betrayal" to a domestic farce, suggesting that the constant proximity between the defectors and the BJP at the Centre led to an inevitable, though treacherous, union.
Mann's Analogy: A Wife and the Postman
Addressing a press conference, Mann said, "There was a man who came from abroad – Canada or the US – to get married here. While going back to get the paperwork done, he told his newly-wedded wife that he will write to her daily. And he did send a letter to her without fail. When he returned after six months, his neighbors told him that his wife ran away with the postman some months back. The postman would come to deliver the letter daily. They (the seven MPs) spent time in Rajya Sabha with Amit Shah, those known to break parties (BJP). They have now run away with them."
Defectors Branded as Traitors
Beyond this analogy, Mann has publicly branded the defectors as "gaddars" (traitors), asserting that they have backstabbed the people of Punjab and will soon vanish into "political oblivion." He dismissed their individual influence, claiming they were not mass leaders and were incapable of even winning a village sarpanch election on their own merit.
Culinary Metaphor to Downplay Significance
Using a culinary metaphor to downplay their significance, Mann remarked that while ingredients like ginger, garlic, and cumin can enhance a dish's taste, they cannot form a meal by themselves. He further alleged that the MPs joined the BJP merely to save their skin from central agencies.
This incident highlights the ongoing political turmoil in Punjab, where AAP is facing internal dissent ahead of the 2024 general elections. The defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs is seen as a major setback for the party, which had swept the state in the 2022 assembly elections.
