Oppn looted state’s resources: CM Mann in thanksgiving rally

Mann, in his address, launched a scathing attack on the opposition, accusing Congress, SAD and BJP of looting the state and inciting people in the name of religion

Terming the Ludhiana West and Gujarat by-elections as semi-finals for the 2027 elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said said the support of people received in these two by-elections “clearly indicates that AAP would form governments” with a massive majority in both Punjab and Gujarat in 2027. He was addressing a gathering here in “Dhanwad Sabha” to express gratitude to the voters of Ludhiana in presence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann and other leaders.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann addressing a gathering during a rally in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT)

Mann, in his address, launched a scathing attack on the opposition, accusing Congress, SAD and BJP of looting the state and inciting people in the name of religion.

Kejriwal said, “Gujarat, considered a stronghold of the BJP, witnessed a significant triumph wherein the AAP candidate won by more than 17,000 votes. The BJP, furious over it, arrested one of the party’s MLAs. AAP will not be afraid.”

He clarified that the opposition spread the false rumor about his Rajya Sabha move just to mislead the public. “Immediately after the results, I held a press conference and made it clear that I will not go to the Rajya Sabha,” he said. Kejriwal accused the BJP and the Congress of colluding with each other to oppose AAP in Punjab.

“When a survey was conducted in 2017, Punjab ranked 29th in the country in education. Now, the state has reached the top position,” he said while hailing teachers, students and others. Regarding the state government’s plan to bring a strict law against sacrilege, he asked if the Congress would support it.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann said the AAP government was taking decisions keeping in mind the interests of the people of Punjab. “The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal are now fighting for their existence. Their condition is such that they can’t even find people to form 11 or 21-member committees. The Congress and the Akali-BJP committed injustices against the people, incited them in the name of religion and looted the state’s resources,” he said.

The CM said the state govenment’s aim was to make Punjab strong and self-reliant. Referring to a recent national-level survey, Mann said that around 28,000 students from different backgrounds and subjects participated in the survey and Punjab ranked number one overall.

Targeting Akali leader Bikram Majithia, the CM said, “The crackdown on those who destroyed Punjab’s youth through drugs is ongoing. Justice may be delayed due to legal processes, but it will certainly be served.”

Launching a scathing attack on Union minister Ravneet Bittu and Congress leader Charanjit Channi, he said, “These people tried to mislead the public by calling Majithia’s arrest wrong. Now, they are apologising. They are all in collusion.”

“The opposition leaders have nothing to show. Their politics is built on a foundation of lies. The special session of the Punjab assembly will be held on July 10 and 11 where the lies of the opposition will be exposed,” he said.

AAP’s state president Aman Arora, working president Amansher Singh (Sherry Kalsi) and several senior leaders were present.