Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa was among Congress leaders who were detained and later released during a demonstration in support of the former party president in Chandigarh on Thursday. Rahul Gandhihe says Indian Express Punjab, why does he make Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann think about the condition of his party? Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a “proxy CM”, and there is a Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election on June 23.
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A former Congress minister was arrested in a corruption case and another booked. Many other senior Congress leaders have also participated in this. BJPWhat is happening in Punjab Congress?
Bajwa: Those who left Congress and joined BJP have gone to the saffron party’s court for security. He saw how (BJP leader) Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was given security by the (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-led government. Bagga was rescued from the Punjab Police team and taken back to Delhi from Karnal, where the Haryana Police took the Punjab Police team hostage. Party leaders joining BJP want such security. As far as the arrest of Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and registration of a case against Sangat Singh Giljian in a corruption case is concerned, the AAP government is trying to demoralize the Congress workers by such steps. By arresting senior Congress leaders and registering a case against them, AAP is trying to create an atmosphere of fear among the grassroots workers and workers of Congress.
AAP government says that there is zero tolerance towards corruption. CM Bhagwant Mann has arrested his own cabinet colleague Vijay Singla by registering a case against him in a corruption case. How do you see it?
Bajwa: Bhagwant Mann is a pseudo Chief Minister. He is following the Delhi model, where the Food and Civil Supplies Minister was sacked in 2015, later promoted to another post. This is his signature style. There is no authentic proof. In Singla’s case also he (Singla) has claimed that he has not received any money. They can be approved after six months or so and take the lead in you.
Do you think that the Sangrur by-election is going to be a referendum on the AAP government’s three-month rule?
Bajwa: I will not call this election a referendum on the AAP government. But it will certainly be a matter to be seen where the party (AAP), which won Sangrur by 4.7 lakh votes last time, stands now. Your popularity has dropped drastically. This election is very important as AAP has support from Malwa districts, especially Sangrur, Bathinda and Mansa.
So who according to you is the main rival of Congress candidate (Dalveer Goldie) in Sangrur?
Bajwa: It is basically a contest between Congress and AAP. Hardliners may vote for Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) candidate Simranjit Singh Mann, but all voters in favor of nationalism and secularism will choose Congress over AAP.
What about BJP?
Bajwa: The security of the BJP candidate will be forfeited.
singer’s family Sidhu Musewala He says that his name should not be used for political gains in the Sangrur by-election. your opinion?
Bajwa: SAD (Amritsar) candidate Simranjit Singh Mann is using his (Musewala’s) photographs in the election campaign. As far as Congress is concerned, his (Musewala’s) father has already clarified that PPCC (Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee) chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring never pressurized him (Musewala) to contest elections and It was the singer’s own decision. But, since he was a Congressman, we cannot deny him. His mother was the sarpanch of Congress. But, Congress will never try to do vote bank politics by using his name.