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Amid infighting in Cong, BJP, big names set to join AAP: Cheema
Hitting out at the ruling Congress on the issue of power crisis in the state, Cheema said that traders and industrialists are exasperated by the costly and erratic power supply and rampant corruption in government offices.
With fissures evident in the Punjab unit of Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leader of opposition (LoP) in the Punjab assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema on Sunday claimed that some senior leaders from both parties are in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership and may switch sides in the coming days.
Cheema was speaking at the Circuit House during an interaction with industry leaders for preparation of the party manifesto ahead of the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections.
“Some senior leaders from both parties (Congress and BJP), who wish to contribute to the prosperity of the state, are in talks with us. This includes some big names. It would be too early to reveal their names. But they are soon going to formally join the AAP,” claimed Cheema.
Hitting out at the ruling Congress on the issue of power crisis in the state, Cheema said that traders and industrialists are exasperated by the costly and erratic power supply and rampant corruption in government offices. He said that many industrial units are shifting to other states. Cheema alleged that while the GST return of the industry was pending, the state government has started VAT recovery.
On the issue of offering free power to the people of the state, Cheema said that currently, the Congress regime is “doling out money to crony capitalists”. He said, “Those objecting to AAP for offering 300 units free to the people of the state must answer that why in the last few months, ₹6,000 crore was given to private power companies in lieu of power that was not even used. We want to benefit the common man of the state, not crony capitalists.”
He said that if the AAP came to power, it will first scrap the power agreement made by the previous government, led by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD- BJP), with the private power companies and also put an end to mining mafia.
He added instead of offering crores of rupees to private power companies, the benefit will be transferred to people of the state.
Cheema also took an overt jibe at the Congress for protecting Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief Simarjit Singh Bains. “It is indeed shocking and saddening that despite the directions of the court, Ludhiana police is reluctant to register a case against Bains who is facing serious allegations of power misuse and physical exploitation of a woman,” said Cheema.
