AAP irked over Punjab BJP delegation discussing Kartarpur Corridor reopening with PM Modi

Irked over a Punjab BJP delegation for consulting matters related to reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor and other state issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday called it an 'election strategy' and said that all parties should have been part of the delegation or the state government should have held these talks.

"The affairs of Punjab should be discussed with the state government or with all political parties of the state. It is meaningless to discuss the issues with a number of elected MLAs or leaders and especially those whom the people of Punjab do not allow to enter their village. It is dishonesty. It is a part of the election strategy," AAP National Spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed.

"There are elections in Punjab within the next three months. The Prime Minister's Office will try to save its credibility in those elections," he added.

Gurpurab, which marks the birth anniversary of Sikhism founder 'Guru Nanak Dev' will be celebrated on November 19 this year.

Punjab BJP delegation meets PM Modi

A delegation of BJP leaders from Punjab met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at his official residence and solicited him to reopen the Kartarpur corridor prior to Gurpurab.

The pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara was suspended in March 2020 following the COVID outbreak. The Punjab BJP delegation comprising of 11 leaders met PM Modi and conveyed the sentiments of Sikh devotees, Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma told PTI.

Sharma on November 7 said that the party will be contesting in all 117 seats in Punjab in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Earlier on November 12, AAP released the list consisting of the first 10 candidates for the Punjab 2022 assembly elections. The party has selected sitting legislators as its ten candidates who have been assigned the candidature from their present seats.

AAP benefitted from Sonu Sood's arrival: AAP spokesperson

On Sonu Sood's recent announcement of his sister's political foray in Punjab, Bharadwaj said, "Sonu Sood remained in the headlines during Corona. He did a lot of work for the migrants. If his sister wants to join politics, then it is her personal matter. The leadership of Punjab will decide whether she will contest from the Aam Aadmi Party or not. He is the brand ambassador of the Delhi government's mentor program for the country, and we have benefited greatly from his arrival."

Punjab Assembly elections

Punjab is all geared for Assembly polls which are scheduled to be held in 2022. In the 2017 Assembly Elections, Congress had won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years.  

Aam Aadmi Party had emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 sears in the 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to grab 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats.

With Inputs from ANI

Image: ANI