Delhi ousted AAP, now people of Punjab will do the same: Saini

CM Saini was addressing a rally organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party Purvanchal Morcha at Giaspura in Ludhiana

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday said that people of Delhi had already removed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from power and asserted that Punjab would follow suit. “The people have realised that only Narendra Modi and the BJP can take Punjab forward,” he added.

Taking a dig at protests allegedly staged by the AAP against him, Saini said had the party fulfilled its promises, there would have been no need to block his way. (HT Photo)

CM Saini was addressing a rally organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party Purvanchal Morcha at Giaspura in Ludhiana. Saini said Punjab and Haryana shared an inseparable bond, comparing their relationship to “nail and flesh”. However, he expressed concern over the condition of Punjab under the AAP government. He alleged that the AAP had promised ₹1,000 per month to women and minimum support price (MSP) for farmers’ crops but failed to fulfil these commitments.

“In Haryana, the BJP honoured similar promises by providing ₹2,100 to women under the “Lado Lakshmi scheme” and MSP to farmers. But in Punjab, the AAP government has not delivered on its assurances,” he said.

Accusing the party of corruption, Saini claimed that the AAP had made similar promises in Delhi but instead became embroiled in graft. Referring to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, he said those who projected themselves as ‘kattar imandar’ had landed in jail in corruption cases. He further alleged that in Punjab, the AAP government had even surpassed the Congress in corruption.

Taking a dig at protests allegedly staged by the AAP against him, Saini said had the party fulfilled its promises, there would have been no need to block his way. He alleged that AAP workers prevented BJP workers from reaching rally venues, forcing organisers to change locations. “They oppose us because they know a BJP government is coming to Punjab,” he said.

State executive president Ashwani Sharma, district president Rajnish Dhiman, Purvanchal Morcha president Rajesh Mishra, RK Bhardwaj and Suresh Aggarwal welcomed the chief minister. Several party leaders, including Anil Sareen, Jeevan Gupta, Dinesh Sarpal, Arunosh Mishra, Shashi Aggarwal, Rashi Aggarwal, Nirmal Singh SS, Chandrabhan and Ravi Chaurasia were also present.

Rahul Gandhi defaming the country

Referring to Rahul Gandhi and his rally scheduled in Barnala on February 28, Saini said Gandhi no longer carried political weight. “Wherever he goes now, it makes no difference,” he remarked, alleging that Rahul Gandhi was leaving no stone unturned to defame the country.

AAP protest against CM’s visit

Workers of the AAP staged a protest against the visit of CM Saini, waving black flags and wearing black bands. In a statement, the party said the demonstration was aimed at opposing what it termed the “BJP’s shameful attempt to poach AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj from Sangrur under ‘Operation Lotus’ and the ‘step-motherly treatment meted out to Punjab by the BJP-led Centre in releasing flood relief funds. Leading the protest, AAP MLA from Atam Nagar Kulwant Singh Sidhu alleged that the BJP had consistently pursued an anti-Punjab policy.