AAP govt 'serving political interests' of Kejriwal, Sisodia: BJP leader Chugh

Ludhiana, Jun 10 (PTI) BJP leader Tarun Chugh on Tuesday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, accusing it of "bankrupting" the state to serve the "political interests" of party leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia.

Punjab has become a "safe haven and operational base for tainted AAP leaders", with taxpayers' money being "squandered" to sustain their presence and propaganda in the state, he alleged.

"Instead of working for Punjab's future, the state machinery is being diverted to rehabilitate and promote Delhi-based AAP faces, while Punjab's core sectors continue to suffer," Chugh claimed in a statement.

Chugh further stated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has reduced himself to a "puppet", taking directions from Kejriwal who has no constitutional authority in Punjab but continues to "dictate terms".

"The people of Punjab voted for a Chief Minister, not a Delhi-appointed caretaker," said the BJP national general secretary.

Referring to the law and order situation, Chugh said, "the only significant legacy of the AAP regime has been the rise of gangsters, land mafias, and liquor mafias. While criminals thrive, industries flee, and honest governance is missing." He called upon the people of Ludhiana to give a strong and clear message through the upcoming by-election that Punjab will not "tolerate betrayal, financial mismanagement, and outside interference any longer".

"Punjab deserves leadership rooted in Punjab, not rented faces from Delhi," Chugh said.

The bypoll to the Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab will take place on June 19 and the counting will be held on June 23.

The Ludhiana West assembly seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. PTI COR CHS NB NB