Punjab’s Leader of the Opposition, Congress’s Pratap Singh Bajwa, has said “more than 32” MLAs of the state’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party are in touch with him and it is possible that others are in touch with the BJP, indicating that the Bhagwant Mann government is heading for a collapse. 

He, however, added that the Congress will not be responsible for bringing down the government. “The BJP will do that,” he added. 

“It is not just MLAs there are ministers and other big leaders… But we have made it very much clear that the Congress under no circumstances will destabilise this government. It is the BJP who will do it,” he told NDTV in an exclusive interview. 

The Congress, he added, wants the AAP government to complete a five-year term, “So the people can see what kind of government they voted for”.

The Congress leader claimed that the AAP leaders are upset with the fact that thousands of crores of rupees have gone to Australia and other states through hawala channels under the AAP rule. This, he said, was money from liquor and Change of land use.  

The “Delhi model is such, it brings experts in looting,’ he alleged. 

AAP hit back, accusing Mr Bajwa of being in the process of shifting to the BJP.

“Pratap Bajwa has already secured his ticket in BJP. He had met senior BJP leaders in Bengaluru,” said AAP leader Neel Garg. “Rahul Gandhi should keep an eye on Pratap Bajwa,” he added. 

The Bhagwant Mann government has come under massive Opposition pressure since AAP’s rout in Delhi earlier this month. 

The Punjab government has now initiated a massive anti-corruption drive – one of its pre-poll promises – and last week, dismissed 52 police officers, ranging from constables to inspectors, on charges of corruption. Varinder Kumar, a 1993 batch IPS officer, from his post as chief director of the Vigilance Bureau, and he was asked to report to the police chief.

Sri Muktsar Sahib’s Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Tripathi, a 2016 batch IAS officer, was also suspended and an inquiry by the Vigilance  Department was ordered against him.