Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Media Incharge Baltej Pannu on Monday launched a scathing attack on Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, accusing them of running a secret, decades-long power-sharing cartel that looted Punjab while pretending to be political rivals.
Addressing a press conference at the AAP party office, Pannu played a video clip of Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, in which Bittu himself admits that in 2017 they planned and defeated Bhagwant Mann and ensure the victory of Sukhbir Badal, exposing the unholy alliance between Congress and Akali leadership.
“This is not an allegation by AAP. This is their own leader speaking. Ravneet Bittu has openly admitted that Congress and Akali Dal leaders worked together behind closed doors, deciding who would win, who would lose, and which seat would go to whom,” Pannu said.
Five Years One Looted, Then Next Five Years Other Looted, That Was Punjab’s Politics Before AAP
Pannu alleged that for years Punjab was run on a fixed-match model,“Five years you rule, five years we rule. You don’t question us, we won’t question you.” They protected each other. “This was not governance; it was organised political corruption,” he said.
Pannu detailed how constituencies were pre-decided between Congress and Akali leaders, Patiala for one, Lambi for another, Lehra Gaga, Sunam, Bathinda, Sangrur, Doaba, Majha, every region had its backroom deal between Akali and Congress leaders.
“Leaders would say one thing in Bathinda, another in Sangrur, and change their statement again by the time they reached Chandigarh. They didn’t even remember what they said where,” he added.
Pannu said the entire establishment panicked when a common man, a comedian from a village in Sangrur, entered politics and began exposing their nexus. “They tried to defeat Bhagwant Mann in 2017, they tried again in 2019. But Sangrur understood the truth in 2014 itself. When Mann Sahab won twice from Sangrur, the message travelled across Punjab, and in 2022, the people delivered their verdict.”
Pannu pointed out that in 2022, Punjab rejected the entire old order, Captain Amarinder Singh lost, Bikram Majithia lost, Parkash Singh Badal lost, Sukhbir Badal lost and Navjot Sidhu lost. “These were not coincidences. These were fallen pillars of a corrupt system,” he said.
Pannu said the opposition is rattled because Punjab has changed in four years, irrigation Water has reached tail-end farmers after 45 years, Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) ensures emergency response within minutes, 16 toll plazas shut down, 600 units of free electricity to households, ₹10 lakh health insurance cover and Transparent governance without fear or favour.
“They don’t talk about work. All they say is ‘let us come, we will arrest Bhagwant Mann’. Arrest him for what? For giving water to farmers? For saving accident victims? For stopping loot?” Pannu asked.
Pannu said the biggest proof of AAP’s stand is that former Congress leader himself is now confessing. “Ravneet Bittu is a Union Minister today. He is not lying when he says he was sent with a message to defeat Bhagwant Mann and help Sukhbir Badal. The only question is, who sent him?”
Concluding, Pannu said, “Punjab today knows who played games together and who stood with the people. The era of secret deals is over. The era of honest politics has begun, and that is what they cannot tolerate.”
