AAP calls Punjab CM Channi 'Nakli Kejriwal'; warns not to vote for him in 2022 polls

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday launched a fresh attack on Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and called him 'Nakli (Fake) Kejriwal' for emulating Arvind Kejriwal's promises to the state. Aam Aadmi Party took to its Twitter handle and shared a poster of Charanjit Singh Channi calling him 'Nakli Kejriwal' and cautioned the people of Punjab to not vote for him in the upcoming state elections. Furthermore, AAP stated that Channi has been 'shamelessly' copying Arvind Kejriwal's 'original' model but failing to implement it. 

The poster highlights Punjab CM Channi's two announcements- his promise to provide free electricity, water for the poor and farmers, and free bus service to the pilgrim corridor. On September 21, Charanjit Singh Channi took charge as Punjab CM promising free water supply to smaller homes, reduced the power tariff, and a transparent government for the "common man" in the poll-bound state.

However, in June, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Arvind Kejriwal had slammed the high electricity prices in Punjab and announced free electricity for all in Punjab if his party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) forms the government in the state in the 2022 elections. Again on November 18, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced that free buses would be provided to the pilgrims after the Kartarpur Sahib passageway, which leads to one of the holiest Sikh sites, was reopened on Wednesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Tuesday, November 16 had announced that the Centre has decided to reopen the Kartarpur corridor, the most revered shrine of Sikhs located in Pakistan. 

In October, Delhi CM Kejriwal announced the inclusion of 'Ayodhya' in the Delhi government's free pilgrimage scheme i.e., "Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana" in the backdrop of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls. Again on November 21, Arvind Kejriwal promised to introduce a free pilgrimage scheme for people of different communities in Uttarakhand if the Aam Aadmi Party comes to power in the state. Under the free pilgrimage scheme, Hindus will be sent to Ayodhya, Muslims to Ajmer Sharif and the Sikhs to Kartarpur Sahib, he announced at a press conference in Haridwar.

Punjab Assembly Election 2022

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly election, Congress won a whopping 77 seats in the 117-member House, whereas Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could win only 18 seats. On the other hand, AAP emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats, however, it failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. Despite winning a huge mandate, infighting erupted in the Congress camp leading to Amritsar East MLA and former swashbuckling batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation from the Cabinet in July 2019. 

Amid the infighting between the Amarinder Singh and Navjot Sidhu camps, the situation escalated after Congress summoned a Legislative Party meeting at 5 pm on September 18 without keeping the Punjab CM in the loop. Announcing the decision on Twitter, Rawat asserted that the party had received a representation from a large number of MLAs demanding a meeting. Amid growing speculation that Singh will be ousted, the latter tendered his resignation to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on the same day owing to "humiliation". 

After the resignation of Captain Amarinder Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Punjab. However, new infighting erupted between the new Punjab CM and Navjot Sidhu over key appointments. Due to the infighting, Sidhu resigned as the PPCC chief sending a shocker to the Congress High Command. However, Sidhu returned as PPCC Chief after his demands to remove APS Deol as State's Attorney General (AG) was accepted. 

Image: PTI/ANI