In a blistering attack, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of being inherently hostile to Punjab, predicting a public backlash against AAP leaders who defected to the saffron camp.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mann dismissed the significance of the departing MPs. ‘The party is bigger than any one person,’ he emphasized. ‘These MPs don’t speak for Punjab. Unable to tarnish my image, they tried dismantling AAP. BJP’s playbook is disrupting other parties.’
He invoked Punjabi resilience: ‘We embrace all with open hearts, but betrayal is unforgettable.’ Noting the defectors’ non-Punjabi origins, Mann labeled them Punjab’s betrayers. ‘They won seats effortlessly, never needing to rally on roads or address grievances. They joined BJP for self-preservation, but find no sanctuary there.’
Mann charged the BJP with Punjab’s historic betrayals, referencing its ‘washing machine’ operations on opposition stalwarts like Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena factions. ‘BJP lacks any footprint in Punjab,’ he added.
Tying BJP’s discomfort to tough blasphemy laws post-sacrilege incidents, Mann argued their string of losses breeds animosity towards Punjab and AAP. ‘We denounce the quitters and their enablers alike.’
Mann underscored AAP’s ethos: ‘AAP embodies the aam aadmi. Punjab’s holy land echoes this: People are our power. Traitors will face the electorate’s wrath. Such tactics won’t conquer Punjab. Democracy empowers the masses, and AAP’s revolutionary vision stays true to justice.’
Prior to this, AAP’s Baltej Pannu alleged Amit Shah’s misuse of agencies to poach MPs and weaken the party.
