Punjab CM Channi suppressing Sidhu; 25 Congress MLAs in touch with AAP: Arvind Kejriwal

Amid the ongoing rift in Punjab Congress, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal lauded Navjot Sidhu and claimed that he was being suppressed in the party. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, he asserted that Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi was suppressing Sidhu as he was exposing the alleged lies of the former on issues such as the sand mafia. Ruling out the possibility of becoming the Chief Ministerial candidate for Punjab, he assured that AAP will declare its face earlier compared to other parties. Moreover, he claimed that 25 Congress MLAs and two-three MPs are in touch with his party. 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal remarked, "He said that (Charanjit Singh) Channi Sahab said that we have finished the sand mafia. Channi Sahab said that we have fixed the sand price at Rs. 5 per foot. Immediately, Sidhu Sahab said that he is lying. The sand is available at Rs. 20 per foot. The sand mafia is not finished yet. I praise his courage. He himself said that Channi is lying pertaining to his promises. All his announcements are false. Sidhu Sahab is raising people's issues. But the entire Congress is suppressing him. First Captain (Amarinder Singh) Sahab and now Channi Sahab are busy suppressing him." 

He added, "Many Congress leaders are in touch with us. But we do not want to take their garbage. If we start taking their garbage, I challenge that 25 Congress MLAs will join our party by today evening". On Monday, he had announced that every adult woman of the state will receive Rs.1000 per month if AAP comes to power.

During his earlier visit to the state, Arvind Kejriwal promised 300 units of free electricity, waiver of outstanding electricity bills and uninterrupted round-the-clock electricity in the scenario that the Aam Aadmi Party wins the 2022 Punjab election. AAP's other poll sops include free and quality healthcare for all, free medicines, tests and operations, free health cards for all 16,000 Pind clinics, construction of new world-class hospitals and free treatment of all road accident victims. While the Kejriwal-led party is yet to announce its CM candidate, many AAP workers are backing the candidature of the party's Punjab president Bhagwant Mann for the top post.

Scenario in Punjab

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly election, Congress won a whopping 77 seats in the 117-member House, whereas Shiromani Akali Dal could win only 18 seats. On the other hand, AAP emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats and failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. It is perceived that the formation of a new party by Singh and Sidhu's disgruntlement might have an adverse impact on Congress' poll prospects giving hope to AAP.

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