Interview | Punjab will vote on our performance, BJP’s polarisation card won’t work: Bhagwant Mann
In the interview, Mann railed against PM Narendra Modi and defended his performance in Punjab while exuding confidence on INDIA bloc’s poll prospects.
The arrest of Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal since March 21 has thrust Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, 50, into a challenging task in the run-up to the general elections. As one of the key faces in the opposition INDIA bloc, he is pivoting the AAP’s sweepstakes on 22 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab (13), Delhi (4), Assam and Gujarat (2 each) and Haryana (1). But his real test lies on his home turf, where he has set himself the goal to win all 13 seats. In wide-ranging interview with Executive Editor Ramesh Vinayak and Punjab Bureau chief Navneet Sharma on Tuesday, Mann railed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defended his performance in Punjab while exuding confidence on INDIA bloc’s poll prospects. Edited excerpts:
The first phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections is over. What is your overall sense of national poll landscape?
This election is beyond the victory and defeat. The critical questions arising out of the current atmosphere in the country is whether the elections will take place again and whether the constitution will survive. Several BJP leaders have said, ‘give us 400 seats, and we will change the constitution’. Though the constitution has been amended many times before, the disturbing trend is the way the Narendra Modi-led BJP government has been disregarding the key democratic institutions, be it the Supreme Court, RBI, Election Commission and NITI Aayog. The CBI and the ED, in any case, are owned by them. Both (CBI and ED) are their prime weapon and ‘kamayu beta’ (earning sons). Look at the disclosures on electoral bonds. In 90% cases, first the ED knocked at the potential donors’ door, and soon after, that donors buy electoral bonds for the BJP. All this has led to a negative perception which is proving detrimental for the BJP.
How is this helping the Opposition?
The Modi government has consistently harassed the Opposition-ruled governments and made us feel as if we are not even part of the country. All the states, whether they are ruled by the BJP or non-BJP parties, deserve an equitable sharing of resources and development schemes. But, the federal government has been discriminatory to the Opposition-run states. Look how Punjab been denied its share in Rural Development Fund and National Health Mission. Why Punjab, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been kept out of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ promise which is nothing but a hollow slogan. Look at the way BJP-selected governors and lieutenant governors have been trying to subvert the elected chief ministers of Opposition parties. I had to move the Supreme Court to call even assembly sessions. So, now there is deep-seated sense among people that the BJP-led Centre has been high-handed. Even the most corrupt person turns out squeaky clean once he is through the BJP washing machine. The BJP is projecting as if only the Opposition is corrupt.
The first phase of elections has been damaging for the BJP. That’s why they have changed their election vocabulary. Look how Prime Minister yesterday made such an outrageous comment that the Congress, if elected to power, will hand over the Hindu women’s ‘mangal sutra’ to the Muslims. This is extremely dangerous statement. How can the PM characterise the whole community as ‘ghuspaithya’ (infiltrators)? The BJP is now brazenly attempting a communal polarisation. In desperation to win the polls, the BJP is shooting the poison-tipped arrows in its quiver.
From their 400-plus boast, they are now talking about stable government. ‘char sau paar chhodo, ab inka beda paar hi ho jaye, woh bhi ganimat hai’. That’s the nation’s mood after polling for 102 seats. 440 seats are yet to go to elections. It will be good for the country if there is change in government. But, if that doesn’t happen, the BJP should at least not get the numbers that give it a free hand to change the constitution.
AAP supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been in jail for a month now. How has his arrest and absence impacted AAP’s poll campaign?
Kejriwal is the name of an ideology. Only parties which are cult-driven, rather than being cadre-based, suffer when their top leader is not on the scene. The AAP has a strong organisation and all powers are with its workers. We do feel his absence but it has increased our responsibility to steer the party and take it forward in these difficult times. The AAP today is not an NGO but a national party. We have governments in two states, 10 Rajya Sabha MPs, five MLAs in Gujarat and two MLAs in Goa. We have mayors in Delhi, Chandigarh and Sanrauli in MP. We are among top three parties. The BJP is under misconception that it can break our party by jailing Kejriwal. We now have lakhs of workers and all them are Kejriwals.The AAP tree is now fully grown and has deep roots. We hope Kejriwal ji will be out soon. Even from behind the bars, he is still our star campaigner. It is only after his arrest that nation’s mood has shifted. It brought the INDIA bloc together on a platform.
Are you satisfied with the response and support of INDIA partners on the Kejriwal issue?
Of course, I’m. All constituents have lent their support. Congress stalwarts, including Sonia ji, Rahul ji and Mallikarjun Kharge ji, and top leaders of Opposition parties attended the rallies in Delhi and Ranchi. In a sense, Kejriwal’s detention has become a unifier for INDIA bloc. In the run-up to the first phase of election on April 19, nation witnessed how a sitting CM has been jailed merely on allegations. He is only an accused, not a convict. Why should he resign? There is a definite shift in popular mood and the BJP has sensed that.
What should INDIA bloc do to take the fight forward in the run-up to the remaining six phases of elections?
In cricket language, we have made a good opening. Now there is a growing perception that there is a fair chance for a non-BJP government. All constituents will have to give their best in their states. We are not fighting each other.
The BJP prime poll pitch to pivoted to ‘Modi versus who’ question. INDIA bloc has not projected anyone as Modi’s alternative?
It will be Modi versus 140 crore people, Modi versus nationalists, Modi versus constitution, and Modi versus democracy.
Why are so many leaders from other parties joining the BJP?
Fear. The BJP’s formula is straight: ‘Join us or face ED’. That’s why BJP candidates are facing farmers’ ire and are not being allowed to campaign in villages. Farmers told them you did not allow us to enter Delhi, so we won’t let you enter our villages. Modi is talking about halting the Ukraine-Russia war. But is not done anything to solve the battle farmers are fighting for MSP.
Punjab is seeing for the first time a four-cornered fight for 13 Lok Sabha seats, What do you make of this contest in which the AAP and the Congress, both INDIA allies, are pitted against each other?
The BJP is struggling to find candidates for many constituencies. For the first time, voters on eight seats will see the Lotus symbol. The BJP is nowhere in the competition. The Shiromani Akali Dal is more or less defunct. So much so that leaders are afraid of being offered the Lok Sabha ticket. They pray in gurdwaras for not being handed over the nomination. The Congress is bogged down by internal fight over tickets. The AAP is going to voters with its report card of two years: free power to 90% consumers, 43,000 government jobs, 24-hour electricity to farmers, canal water to tail-end areas, home delivery of free ration and government services and one crore to the kin of the soldiers and security personnel (killed in line of duty). First time, the government bought over a private thermal plant and restarted its coal mine in Jharkhand. Abundance of coal will help us supply cheaper power to industry which in turn will attract big investments.
Whom do you consider your main rival?
None of the political opponents. My rivals are unemployment and corruption. We have stopped corruption to a large extent and are proving jobs on merit. That is why now Punjab is witnessing a reverse migration from abroad and considerably halted the flight of youth to overseas.
What about the contradiction in your party’s ties with the Congress: Allies at national level but bitter rivals in Punjab?
INDIA bloc is not only about the AAP and the Congress. It has many other regional parties who have come together with a common objective of saving the democracy and constitution. In Punjab, AAP is already in power and a favourite of people. My ‘Mission 13-0’ in Punjab is to win all 13 seats which will eventually count in the INDIA tally. In Delhi, the AAP has left three of seven Lok Sabha seats to the Congress despite the fact that the Congress has neither an MLA nor an MP there for last nine years. So it’s a larger call. If the constitution doesn’t stay, what will the parties do?
There is also contradiction that in Delhi, the Congress is supporting Kejriwal, but they are demanding a probe into excise scam.
These are local leaders (of Congress) who keep making such statements. At the national level, we are together to save the country. Only if the nation is saved, parties will be saved. Let’s leave the rest to June 4.
How do you respond to Punjab Congress leaders calling your government a failure?
They will get to know on June 1 (the day of polling in Punjab). They first said that Bhagwant Mann will not be made the CM face. Then, they said the AAP will not form the government. The next thing they said was that they (Mann) will not be able to run it for six months. Another thing they said was that power cannot be given free and now they say it will fall after the elections. Dil behlane ko khayal achcha hai. Who are they to call my government a failure? Talk to people who are saving ₹5,000 per month on electricity bills due to free power, getting free medical treatment and whose children are getting quality education free of cost.
Why has the AAP fielded 8 MLAs, including 5 cabinet ministers, because this has led to an impression that the party was not able to find suitable candidates?
We have given faces with which people are familiar. People know them. Modi has fielded his Rajya Sabha members and ministers. It is the decision of our party. In Delhi also, we have fielded MLAs. If they win, there will be byelections to elect new MLAs. We are not afraid of byelections. We just wanted to give candidates who are able to speak. They all have the experience of the state assembly. Bhagwant Mann was also not a face. I was just an artiste. Today, I am among the top five experienced CMs.
The AAP has been talking about women empowerment. Why no woman candidate has been fielded?
If we have not fielded any this time, this does not mean there is no women empowerment. We have 12 women legislators. The youngest MLA, Narinder Kaur Bharaj, is out MLA. Baljit Kaur and Anmol Gagan Maan are ministers. We have Atishi in Delhi. We will field more in the next election.
Your party has also fielded three turncoats.
There are many people who would join the AAP. There are good people in other parties who are unhappy there. We cannot close our doors for them. I was in PPP. If they had kept their doors shut, I could not have joined the AAP. The only criterion we have is that there should not be any corruption or any other charge against the person.
When the BJP gives the same argument, the AAP dubs it a ‘washing machine’.
We say this when those facing corruption allegations join the BJP. They have taken those whom they accused of Adarsh scam. Otherwise, if good people join the BJP or any other party, there is no problem. It is everyone’s democratic right. Then, it is up to the electorate to decide.
The BJP is contesting all 13 seats in Punjab for the first time. Do you think the Modi factor or the Ram Temple issue will work?
Neither the Modi factor nor religion or caste has worked in Punjab. Social bonding is very strong here. There cannot be any polarisation in Punjab.
With 92 of the 117 seats, you scored a historic victory in the 2022 assembly polls. Is there any pressure on you to repeat the performance in the upcoming elections?
Each election has its own different scenario. There is no pressure on me. This is my 7th election. We do not do politics of name, but development. We will tell people about our work.
The Congress has fielded your former colleague, Sukhpal Khaira, from your home turf of Sangrur. How are you taking this challenge?
What challenge? He also contested from Bathinda earlier. He keeps going from one place to another. Our work speaks for itself in Sangrur. They are my own people. Meet Hayer (AAP nominee) is the favourite there. He is a two-time MLA. As sports minister, he did tremendous work.
The Shiromani Akali Dal is demanding the release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) and transfer of Amritpal Singh and his associates, who are lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, to Punjab. How do you look at these demands?
Whenever Akali Dal loses, Panth gets into danger. That’s the time they remember it. Panth is not so weak that it starts facing a threat just because the Akali Dal loses a few seats. Secondly, what did the SAD do when they were in power? Why did not they (SAD) get them (Bandi Singhs) released? They were in power till recently. They have lost support. People of Punjab hate them (SAD). There are two types of courts – judicial court and people’s court. In one, you can engage good lawyers and get acquitted. In the court of people, neither recommendations work nor do lawyers. They have been punished there. They now say people have defeated and punished us, so they can start now voting for us again. I say their defeat actually saved Punjab.
How do you see the protest culture that has developed in Punjab in the past 2-3 years?
Punjabis are aware and protest when they do not agree with something. In my view, they should as it is their democratic right. I try to talk to them before they start their protest. Before the latest farmers’ protest, there were four meetings with central ministers led by Piyush Goyal. I sat with them and acted as the bridge between the two sides.
Don’t these protests hurt Punjab impacting movement of food grains and causing inconvenience to people?
There is no such thing. We have got the cash credit limit (CCL) and will be contributing 130 lakh metric tonnes of wheat to central pool. It is up to them how they carry it.
AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha’s absence is being felt as he was quite active during the 2022 assembly elections. Why is he missing from the poll scene?
Raghav is our MP and an intelligent leader. He underwent an eye surgery in London. He is a key member and will be back very soon. He has been speaking in Parliament and was suspended for speaking. We are a family and do not have a high command culture.
What about other Rajya Sabha members like Balbir Singh Seechewal and Harbhajan Singh who have not been seen campaigning for the party or spoken on Kejriwal’s arrest?
Seechewal Saab campaigned for the party during the Jalandhar bypoll. As for the arrest issue, there is no need for everyone to speak or start hitting out. The AAP has been speaking out against Modi and no other party can match us. Our party was born out of protest and we protest on every issue.
Do you see this election as a referendum on the performance of your government here?
You can’t call it a semi-final. We have completed two years. If you look at our budget, you will see that our government is in profit, but we have to carry the baggage of legacy debt. People will vote for us on the basis of our performance of two years. So, the election result will be a reality check for the government. If we win these elections, it will be an encouragement for me, and I will do better work in next three years. I am not into money-making or taking share in mining, sand or transport business. It has been more than two years, and no one can make an allegation of corruption of even one rupee against me.
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