Bhagwant Mann Reaches Delhi with Full Cabinet for Meeting with Arvind Kejriwal Amid Growing Discontent in Punjab AAP

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has arrived in Delhi with his entire cabinet for a crucial meeting with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal. The meeting, set to take place at Kapurthala House in Delhi, has been called amid rising discontent within the Punjab unit of the party.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has claimed that Kejriwal is trying to remove Bhagwant Mann from the Chief Minister’s post. Notably, Mann postponed the Punjab cabinet meeting scheduled for February 10 to February 13 in order to attend this meeting in Delhi.

Adding to the speculation, AAP Punjab chief Aman Arora recently made a statement suggesting that Punjab’s Chief Minister could be from the Hindu community. He argued that responsibility should be given to the most deserving candidate, citing the example of Dr. Manmohan Singh becoming India’s Prime Minister despite Sikhs forming only 2% of the country’s population. He questioned why there should be an issue when Punjab has 38% Hindu population.

Congress Alleges Kejriwal Plans to Become Punjab CM

Leader of Opposition from Congress, Partap Singh Bajwa, has claimed that 30 AAP MLAs are in touch with his party, creating a political stir from Punjab to Delhi. He alleged that Kejriwal himself is eyeing the Punjab CM post and might contest the upcoming by-election from Ludhiana West, a seat that fell vacant after the recent demise of AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi.

Bajwa also claimed that following AAP’s defeat in Delhi, the party will shift its entire focus to Punjab. This, he believes, will lead to internal conflicts between Bhagwant Mann and Delhi-based AAP leaders, possibly causing several MLAs to defect to Congress.

AAP Dismisses Speculations as Routine Meeting

AAP MP Malvinder Kang dismissed the speculation, calling the Delhi meeting a routine organizational discussion. He said that as the party’s national convener, Kejriwal regularly holds such meetings. He also refuted claims that 30 AAP MLAs were in touch with Congress, stating that even Congress’s own MLAs are distancing themselves from their party.

AAP spokesperson Neel Garg echoed this sentiment, saying that party leaders and ministers campaigned in Delhi elections, so this meeting is meant for feedback. He emphasized that it is AAP’s prerogative to hold meetings in Delhi or Chandigarh as per its convenience.

AAP’s Attempt to Compensate for Delhi Setback

After losing control of Delhi, Punjab remains the only state where AAP has a government. With no electoral success in Haryana and only a second-place finish in Gujarat, Kejriwal is expected to focus heavily on Punjab to sustain his political relevance.

The party faces the challenge of delivering on promises made before the 2022 elections, as Punjab’s next assembly elections are due in 2027. AAP will likely make efforts to strengthen its position in Punjab to recover from the damage suffered in Delhi.

Congress Predicts Early Elections in Punjab

Following AAP’s Delhi defeat, Congress appears optimistic about a similar outcome in Punjab. Congress leaders anticipate a liquor policy scandal in Punjab, similar to the one that led to Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia’s troubles in Delhi.

They also allege a Minimum Support Price (MSP) scam in Punjab’s paddy procurement process. Congress believes that Kejriwal’s interference in Punjab’s governance will lead to internal conflicts, causing AAP MLAs to defect. If this happens, mid-term elections in Punjab could become a possibility.