No differences among AAP leaders: CM Mann
Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on Sunday dismissed all speculations of a power tussle within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and asserted that there were no differences among the top leadership of the party.
The speculations arose after Mann announced on Saturday that he would lead the campaign for the Jalandhar West bypoll. This had come after reports that the high command had decided to give the charge of the campaign to party’s national general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak, and bring in Mann only in the last leg of the campaign. Adding fuel to speculations was the fact Pathak had remained in the city for two consecutive days last week and met several AAP MLAs and ministers.
In a closed-door meeting with workers, volunteers and chairpersons of different departments on Sunday, Mann is said to have told the attendees that all is well within the party. “There are no differences among the AAP leadership or workers. There are a lot of rumours, but I can tell you, they are fake and baseless,” he said. The CM also asked party workers to go door-to-door and apprise people of the achievements of the AAP government in the last two years. He also asked them to tell people about the “clean image” of the party candidate, Mohinder Bhagat, and his family, who have been working in the area for the last several years.
“People of Jalandhar West are happy with the AAP government’s work; we (AAP) and the people of Jalandhar West were betrayed by the same person (Sheetal Angural) who disregarded the mandate of the people and joined an anti-Punjab party,” said Mann.
The bypoll has been necessitated by the resignation of Angural, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the lead up to the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
Mann also informed the rank and file that he is going to camp in Jalandhar for which he will put up at a rented accommodation. As per sources, the chief minister’s office has zeroed-in on two accommodations— a 125 marla house for the CM in the gated Royal Estate Colony in Jalandhar Cantonment and another one at Pratapura area for his staff.
Former CM advises CM Mann to save his chair
Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi took potshots at Mann, stating that his position was under threat. Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, Channi said, “Mann can run the government from Jalandhar only if he remains the CM. The writing is on the wall – all’s not well within the party and Mann will be dethroned from his chair very soon.” Channi added that the Lok Sabha elections had clearly showed that AAP had lost ground in Punjab, and it will be reinforced once the bypoll results are out.