‘They have accepted defeat in rural polls’: Punjab CM Mann slams Congress, SAD
Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Mann lambasted Channi, saying he had made an irresponsible statement
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal over their “high-handedness” allegation against the Aam Aadmi Party government in the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, saying they had accepted defeat in the elections.
Congress leader and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had alleged that the AAP government in the state had printed fake ballot papers for the December 14 rural body elections.
Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Mann lambasted Channi, saying he had made an irresponsible statement.
“Both the Congress and the Akali Dal have accepted their defeat in the rural polls but are accusing the AAP government of high-handedness against opposition candidates,” the chief minister said.
Giving details of the rural elections, Mann said out of the total 2,833 zones of Block Samitis, 340 AAP candidates, three Congress nominees and eight Independents had been elected unopposed.
“If the Congress and independent candidates were elected unopposed, then wasn’t there any high-handedness in these seats?” Mann asked.
He said AAP’s 2,771 candidates, Congress’s 2,433, SAD’s 1,814, BJP’s 1,127, BSP’s 195, SAD (Amritsar)’s three and 686 others were fighting the Panchayat Samiti polls. “How were the nomination papers of opposition candidates found to be correct?” he said.
He also targeted the SAD for taking help of gangsters in the elections. After the Tarn Taran polls, now SAD was taking help of another gangster in the rural elections, he said.
Opposition parties had earlier targeted the ruling AAP, accusing it of misusing official machinery in preventing their candidates from filing their nomination papers and rejecting their candidature.
Mann said there were a total of 347 Zila Parishad zones and 1,396 candidates. Congress was fighting 331 zones, Akali Dal 298, BJP 215, BSP 50, SAD (Amritsar) 4 and 143 others.
Nomination papers of these candidates were also accepted, he said.
Targeting the rival parties, Mann said, “They have come to know that people are not with them. That is why they start alleging that AAP looted votes. Why can’t they introspect?”
Mann spoke about 600 units of free electricity, water for irrigation reaching the last mile and good condition of roads, opening of mohalla clinics and 17 toll plazas shut in villages.
“We are seeking votes based on our works. But, they (opposition) are crying that their papers were snatched,” the chief minister said.
Bajwa questions SEC’s silence
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa criticised the State Election Commission (SEC) for its alleged inaction despite detailed written representations, flagging “blatant misuse of police machinery, voter intimidation and systematic attempts to vitiate” the rural elections.
In a statement, Bajwa said more than 24 hours had passed since he formally wrote to the state election commissioner, placing on record serious apprehensions about “violence, booth capturing, vote rigging and partisan policing” at sensitive polling stations across Gurdaspur district.
He had sought deployment of adequate security forces, quick reaction teams, mandatory CCTV coverage with live streaming on the SEC website, and assured access to footage for candidates to ensure transparency.
However, despite the urgency of the situation and the ongoing election process, no action had been taken by the SEC so far, he said.
The LoP further stated that he had also brought to the commission’s notice a shocking incident from Alma village, where police officials allegedly conducted an “intimidation-driven raid” at the residence of a Congress worker at the behest of senior police leadership “acting under political pressure”.
Women family members were harassed, property was forcibly searched and no incriminating material was found, clearly exposing the intent to terrorise opposition workers, Bajwa alleged.
He said he had categorically demanded stern disciplinary action and immediate transfer of partisan police officers, warning that their continued presence would destroy the fairness of elections in the Qadian constituency. “The SEC’s silence even after receiving these serious complaints sends a dangerous signal and has emboldened the ruling AAP government,” he said.
“The message coming from CM Bhagwant Mann’s government is clear — dissent will be crushed, opposition will be intimidated and elections will be managed through fear,” Bajwa alleged.
