AMRITSAR/NEW DELHI: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal reaffirmed Sunday that Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann will serve his full five-year term, dismissing speculation about his removal. “Mann will complete five years and the next five years too,” he said, countering opposition claims of changes in Punjab following AAP’s defeat in the recent Delhi assembly elections.
However, Kejriwal’s meeting Saturday with Punjab ex-minister and BJP functionary Laxmi Kanta Chawla sparked fresh political controversy. BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused Kejriwal of “desperately visiting residences of BJP members” in a bid to align with the party. “But let it be clear… BJP will never accept a corrupt, power-hungry and dishonest politician like Kejriwal,” Sirsa claimed Sunday.
AAP members dismissed speculation of a BJP alliance, calling the meeting a “courtesy call”. “BJP should clear its misunderstanding. Kejriwal will never bow down to BJP, nor will he be afraid of them,” ANI quoted AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj. He said Chawla, as head of the Durgiana Temple, holds significant respect in Punjab and meetings with her are customary.
The former Delhi CM arrived in Amritsar to mark the third anniversary of AAP’s govt in Punjab after completing a 10-day Vipassana meditation session in Hoshiarpur. He, his wife Sunita Kejriwal and CM Mann offered prayers at Golden Temple.
During the visit, Kejriwal met AAP MLAs, including former minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar, to discuss party strategies. He paid obeisance at Durgiana Temple, where he again met BJP’s Chawla.
Addressing Punjab’s key challenges, Kejriwal identified drug abuse and corruption as pressing concerns but said people in the state were actively fighting back.