Forget any grouse, ensure 13-0 victory in favour of AAP in Lok Sabha polls: Punjab CM to party volunteers

Addressing the party volunteers, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann spoke about his government’s “achievements”, including free electricity, giving government jobs and adequate water for crop irrigation.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann held meetings with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and volunteers at Moga and Jalandhar on Saturday and asked them to get ready for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and win all 13 seats in the state.

Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann speaks during volunteers meet, ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Moga on Saturday (HT)

Addressing the volunteers, Mann said that was the BJP’s “misconception” that it could finish AAP by putting (Delhi CM Arvind) Kejriwal in jail.

“You can arrest a person and put him in jail but how can you imprison an idea? Our ancestors fought for freedom, we are the heirs of the martyrs. When we can fight for our freedom, then we can fight to save our democracy and constitution too,” he said.

Addressing the volunteers, Mann asked the volunteers to shun any grouse and get united to win all 13 seats in Punjab.

“I am the head of the family and will always stand with you. The people made me the CM, I asked for this job, and I am not doing any favour to anyone by doing this work,” he said.

Lashing out at the rival party leaders, Mann said they could not digest that people hailing from common families have become MLAs.

“Do not worry. Everybody’s turn will come,” he told party volunteers, adding, “Many have already got (responsibilities). Responsibilities will be given in the organisation and the state government also.”

Mann said that crisis makes one stronger while weeding out the weak and disloyal who are here for selfish motives.

Mann also spoke about his government’s ‘achievements’, including free electricity, giving government jobs and adequate water for crop irrigation.

AAP Rajya Sabha member and party’s general secretary Dr Sandeep Pathak, also addressed the volunteers and urged them to come together in these testing times. Asking the workers to put aside their issues for two months, Pathak invited all the party workers and volunteers to join the fast tomorrow at Khatkar Kalan.

Mann, AAP leaders to observe fast at Khatkar Kalan

Chandigarh CM Bhagwant Mann along with AAP MLAs and volunteers will sit on a fast on Sunday to protest against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, a party leader said.

Addressing the media here on Saturday, AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha said the Punjab CM and the ruling party’s legislators will sit on a fast at Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district on April 7 in the fight to save democracy. He also appealed to the people of Punjab to take part in the fast.

AAP will soon announce candidates for remaining four seats: Mann

Ludhiana

CM Bhagwant Mann said that the AAP will soon announce its candidates for the rest of the seats in the state. Mann was talking to the media near Samrala during a brief halt on his way to Moga to address a convention of party workers.

AAP has so far announced candidates for nine of the total 13 seats in the state. AAP state chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang has been fielded from Anandpur Sahib, while ex-MLA Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who joined the AAP from the Congress last month, is the party candidate from the Hoshiarpur (reserved) parliamentary constituency. Earlier, on March 14, AAP had named NRI affairs minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal from Amritsar, transport minister Laljit Bhullar from Khadoor Sahib, sports minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Sangrur, agriculture minister Gurmeet Khudian from Bathinda, health minister Dr Balbir Singh from Patiala, sitting MP Sushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar, former MLA Gurpreet Singh GP from Fatehgarh Sahib and Karamjeet Anmol from the Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency. However, Rinku quit the party on March 27 and joined the BJP, which has also fielded him from the same constituency.

Mann alleged that the BJP-lead Central government was trying to muzzle the voice of the opposition and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest would prove the last nail in the coffin of the BJP. Mann also met the party workers in Samrala.