CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the BJP 'hates Punjab' and had betrayed the state by wooing away its MPs, and claimed the saffron party has no base in the state and was 'scared of the work done by AAP.'
He added saying 'Punjabis hate those who betray them' and people taught a lesson to Sukhpal Khaira, Master Baldev Singh, Kanwar Sandhu and Jagdev Kamalu earlier when they 'tried to break Punjab'.
Condemning both those leaving the party and those facilitating such moves, Mann asserted that the BJP’s lack of political ground has pushed it towards such tactics even as visible improvements in schools, hospitals, roads, and employment have unsettled it.
He emphasised that the AAP draws its strength from ordinary people and remains rooted in a principled, transformative vision.
He asserted that the people of Punjab will hold accountable those who betray the state, making it clear that such manoeuvres cannot secure political victories in a democracy where the people of Punjab remain supreme.
Mann stated, “The wise and brave people of Punjab will never forgive the traitors who have backstabbed them for their own vested interests. Punjabis have never forgotten acts of betrayal, and those who deceived them have vanished into political oblivion. Leaders like Kamaalo, Mannshahian and others betrayed their ideology and have been erased from public memory. In a democracy, the party is supreme, not individuals who come and go as per their whims and fancies,” he stated.
Mann pointed out that several leaders had secured positions without meaningful contribution but later chose to deceive their mother party for personal benefits.
“The real name of the BJP is ‘Kadde Sadde party’ as its ‘washing machine’ is being used to dry-clean tainted leaders from other parties. The BJP is poaching leaders but has no base in Punjab due to its anti-Punjab mindset,” he alleged.
Mann said, “The BJP is inimical to Punjab and has withheld the state’s share of funds under the Rural Development Fund (RDF), National Health Mission (NHM) Fund and other schemes, jeopardizing development. With no base here, it is trying to break our party using central agencies. Punjab and Punjabis will strongly oppose such tyrannical moves, and the traitors will be taught a lesson.”
He further asserted that the BJP’s political strategy across the country has been to weaken regional forces.
“The BJP only knows how to break other parties because it lacks credible leadership. They tried to break Mamata Banerjee’s party, divided Uddhav Thackeray’s party, and Sharad Pawar’s party met the same fate. Leaders like Naveen Patnaik, Dushyant Chautala and Nitish Kumar have also been targeted through similar manoeuvres,” he said.
Taking a jibe, Mann said, “A Rajya Sabha member who is now feeling suffocated in AAP due to personal interests had enjoyed the fruits of power in Kothi Number 50.”
He noted, “From day one, the BJP has been hell-bent on damaging AAP due to its pro-Punjab and pro-people stance. Operation Lotus was launched to buy our members. The BJP, which has no base in Punjab, has started its ‘washing machine’ here to give a clean chit to tainted leaders.”
Mann said, "This party has been built through sweat and sacrifice. Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and I left our careers to serve the people. I challenge the BJP to try to buy, harass or intimidate me; neither the BJP nor its central agencies have the courage to do so,” he asserted.
“These leaders were given important positions to serve Punjab, but they compromised for their own chairs. Despite advances in science and technology, no machine can read what is in their minds. Punjabis chose them to represent their aspirations, but they betrayed the people for personal interests,” he added.
Mann asserted that the AAP has a national presence and is not confined to any region. “After this defection, the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) will decide the future course, including disciplinary action. Our legislative party remains united and committed to Punjab’s progress,” he said.
Concluding, he said, “The BJP must remember that its tactics will not succeed in Punjab. Punjabis will teach it a lesson for this treachery.”