AAP accuses Congress, BJP, SAD of joining forces against Punjab CM Mann

Chandigarh: The ruling AAP in Punjab accused the Congress, BJP and SAD on Sunday of acting together to target Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, claiming that the opposition parties have no answer to the state government’s performance. Addressing a press conference here, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu alleged that the three parties have become “Teams A, B and C”, with the sole objective of attacking the Mann government. Calling the Congress “directionless”, Pannu claimed that the party is preoccupied with internal power struggles. He also claimed that the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are working in coordination in Punjab. Taking a swipe at the BJP, Pannu said it has become an extension of the Congress in Punjab as many of its present leaders are former members of the grand old party, while the original leadership of the saffron party has been sidelined. Referring to senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, Pannu said the political significance of the deliberations is evident despite Randhawa’s explanation. Highlighting the AAP government’s achievements, Pannu claimed that canal water has reached tail-end villages for the first time in decades and around 90 per cent of households in the state are receiving zero electricity bills due to the scheme providing 600 units of free power. He also said farmers are getting uninterrupted daytime electricity and canal water. Pannu further claimed that more than 34 lakh women have started receiving the financial assistance promised by the AAP government, adding that the remaining eligible beneficiaries would receive the benefit from August 1. He accused the Congress of depending entirely on its high command for decisions, while pointing out that the opposition party used to criticise the AAP earlier, saying the party was controlled from New Delhi. The AAP leader said the opposition should explain its own functioning before targeting the ruling party. He claimed that the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) lack any vision or roadmap for Punjab’s development and are unable to accept the work done by the AAP government. Pannu said previous governments in Punjab had failed to provide benefits, such as free electricity, canal water for farmers, financial assistance for women and cashless healthcare of up to Rs 10 lakh. He also claimed that political bargaining between the Congress and the BJP is already underway in Punjab, ahead of the 2027 state Assembly polls, and that several Congress leaders are set to join the saffron party. Pannu asserted that the people of Punjab would reject “opportunistic politics”.