New Delhi [India], February 11: BJP MP Yogender Chandolia on Tuesday raised concerns over the future of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, suggesting that it is “very unlikely” that Bhagwant Mann will continue as the Chief Minister or that the AAP government will sustain in the state.
Chandolia’s comments came in the wake of AAP’s defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, where the party faced a crushing loss to the BJP. AAP secured only 22 out of 70 seats, while the BJP won 48 seats. According to Chandolia, the defeat in Delhi further weakened Arvind Kejriwal’s control over the Punjab government.
“The people of Delhi have shattered Arvind Kejriwal’s ego… He was running the Punjab government with a remote control. Now, he knows that Punjab MLAs are not satisfied and the CM is also not assured… It is very unlikely that Bhagwant Mann will remain the CM or AAP’s government will continue in Punjab,” said Chandolia.
Chandolia also targeted both Arvind Kejriwal and Congress, accusing them of opportunism, claiming they were “two sides of the same coin.” He pointed out that despite being part of the INDIA alliance at the national level, the two parties contested against each other in the Delhi elections.
“Arvind Kejriwal and Congress are two sides of the same coin… They are opportunists. Whenever they had the chance, they came together and fought elections together and today they are levelling allegations against each other… Congress got a huge ‘zero’ in the last 6 elections in Delhi. It is finished in Delhi,” Chandolia added.
Chandolia also weighed in on the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy, stating that a BJP Chief Minister would never reside in such a luxurious location. He vowed to convert the Sheesh Mahal into a “museum of corruption” to highlight the alleged mismanagement under Kejriwal’s leadership in Delhi. “Any CM or minister of the BJP will never even go near the Sheesh Mahal,” he stated.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal also criticized the AAP, calling it an “anarchist party” and accusing it of seeking support from anti-national elements. He claimed that Arvind Kejriwal was trying to maintain control over his party in Punjab by calling the state’s MLAs to demonstrate that he still had influence. “Aam Aadmi Party is a completely anarchist party; they have taken help from anti-national elements in every way… They are trying to prevent their government from losing power in Punjab like they did in Delhi,” said Jaiswal.
Today, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended a meeting called by AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal at the Kapurthala House in New Delhi, amid growing concerns about the party’s future in Punjab.
Notably, AAP’s performance in the Delhi elections marked a massive setback, as the party won only 22 seats, a significant drop from its 62-seat tally in 2020. The BJP‘s victory marks its return to power in the national capital after 27 years.
Key Roles with Bold Emphasis:
- Yogender Chandolia – BJP MP who raised doubts about the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) government’s future in Punjab and criticized both Arvind Kejriwal and Congress.
- Bhagwant Mann – Punjab Chief Minister whose tenure is now being questioned by Chandolia following the AAP’s defeat in Delhi.
- Arvind Kejriwal – AAP National Convenor who is accused of controlling the Punjab government with a “remote control” and facing challenges in retaining political control.
- Sanjay Jaiswal – BJP MP who criticized AAP as an “anarchist party” and accused it of seeking support from anti-national elements.
- Kejriwal and Congress – Criticized by Chandolia for their opportunistic behavior, despite being part of the INDIA alliance.
- BJP – Returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, with 48 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, marking a major political shift.