Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party MPs who announced a merger with the BJP, calling the move a betrayal of Punjab’s mandate and accusing the saffron party of engineering political defections.
Reacting to reports that two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members, led by Raghav Chadha, have moved to merge with the BJP, Mann said the leaders involved do not represent the people of Punjab.
“The seven MPs joining the BJP do not represent Punjab. They are traitors,” Mann said, in a strong response to the dramatic political development.
Targeting the BJP, the Chief Minister alleged the party has repeatedly used similar tactics to weaken opposition parties across the country.
“BJP has betrayed Punjab. The same washing machine was used with Sharad Pawar’s party, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress. BJP has no base in Punjab,” he said.
Mann’s remarks come amid escalating political tensions following the announcement by seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs claiming merger with the BJP under constitutional provisions.
The development has triggered a political storm, with the Punjab Chief Minister’s reaction signalling a fierce response from the AAP leadership to what could become a major challenge for the party in Parliament.
