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‘Dramebaz Vs shahzada’: Mann, Manpreet barb battle intensifies
The war of words between chief minister Bhagwant Mann and BJP leader Manpreet Badal intensified on Monday with the CM terming him (Manpreet) the “biggest dramebaaz” and the latter labelling him (Mann) “Muglia shehzada”
Patiala/Bathinda : The war of words between chief minister Bhagwant Mann and BJP leader Manpreet Badal intensified on Monday with the CM terming him (Manpreet) the “biggest dramebaaz” and the latter labelling him (Mann) “Muglia shehzada”.
Both Mann and Manpreet are trading barbs at each other after the former minister was summoned by the vigilance bureau on July 24 in connection to the sale of two plots in Bathinda.
During his speech on the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh in Sunam, the CM took a swipe at Manpreet by terming him a “party-hopper”, saying that Manpreet is the “biggest dramebaaz” and he should be given Oscar for his skills of befooling people and plundering the state.
Mann said he is fully aware of the “theatricals, couplets and self-proclaimed honesty” of the former finance minister. He said that Manpreet sided with those who looted Punjab. “I will not spare anyone who plundered the state,” he said.
Mann said Manpreet, who brought him into politics, has been booked for his “misdeeds”. “Manpreet brought me into politics, but I continued to stand by his principles. Anyone who backstabs people of the state by misusing official position will have to pay for his ‘sins’,” the CM said.
Targeting Manpreet, the CM said those living in palaces or palatial houses or known by the nomenclature of ‘kaka ji’ and ‘biba Ji’ must be thrown to political oblivion.
Reacting sharply to the CM’s barbs, Manpreet called Mann “a power-drunk Muglia shehzada”.
In a video statement on his Facebook page on Monday evening, Manpreet dared the CM to take police action if the government has any proof of wrongdoings against him.
“I like to remind you (Mann) that takht and hukumat (position and power) are temporary. You are trying to score brownie points by levelling baseless allegations,” Manpreet said.
In his video post, the former minister flayed Mann for speaking in a threatening tone. “I listened to your political address at a public event today. It is Manpreet who still sticks to the ideology of the People’s Party Punjab, and it is Bhagwant Mann who has gone astray. You move around the country in big convoys (on road) and widely using planes and helicopters like Muglia shehzada,” said the leader of the saffron party.
Responding to Mann’s earlier tweet, Manpreet said: Don’t provoke me. Don’t force me to speak up. If I start speaking, you won’t find a place to hide anywhere in Punjab,” said the former Bathinda Urban MLA in the video statement.
Taking on the CM further, Manpreet said the government cannot scare him. “You are targeting the wrong person and I cannot be intimidated. I have no time to respond to your every threat,” he said.
