Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann is once again in the driver's seat. Accepting the “responsibility” once again, Mann made it clear on Wednesday that his stand on the drug issue against some leaders is “still the same”.

Mann had stepped down from the post of AAP's Punjab unit president in March 2018 protesting against the party supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s infamous apology to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia for drug allegations.

In the run-up to 2017 State Assembly polls, Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in Punjab had alleged that Majithia was a “drug lord”, and was patronising the rampant drug trade in the State. Majithia, in turn, filed a defamation cases against AAP leaders including Kejriwal.

Even as Mann made it clear that he was satisfied with Kejriwal’s reasoning for his “apology” to Majithia, AAP's new State chief declared that the party would continue its fight against the drug issue in the State.

“Our stand on the issue is still the same. Drug problem in Punjab is because of SAD-BJP and their support to the mafia and drug lords,” said Mann, after formally taking over the party reins in the presence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is also Punjab party affairs in-charge.

Mann maintained that AAP's Punjab unit “still stand on the allegations against Majithia for which Arvind Kejriwal had sought apology...AAP leader Sanjay Singh is still facing cases in the courts for these allegations”.

Also party MP from Sangrur, Mann had recently met Kejriwal before once again taking over the State party unit, during which the AAP national convener had clarified the circumstances in which he had sought the apology from Majithia.

“I am satisfied with Kejriwal as far as his apology is concerned. He would have remained busy with these defamation cases against him if he has not sought apologies. And Majithia was not the only one from whom Kejriwal has sought apology,” said Mann.

Facing over two dozen defamation cases against him across 22 States, Kejriwal went on an apology spree, saying “sorry” not only to Majithia, but also Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari, besides former Union Minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his advocate son Amit Sibal.

At the same time, he accused the Congress-led Punjab Government of slow-pedalling on the drug issue, especially acting against the “big-fish”. “Congress Government is deliberately delaying the probe and not even gathering evidence against Akali leaders involved in drug cases,” alleged Mann.

Accusing Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the Badals of being “hand-in-glove”, Mann said that the Badals had driven the state youth into drug addiction by conniving with drug lords in the State.

“Capt Amarinder is also following their footsteps, and backed out on the poll promises he had made to the people ahead of the elections,” said Mann adding that even the Congress party MLAs had been urging the Chief Minister to initiate action against the Badals and the drug mafia so that they could visit their constituencies without any fear of being targeted.

He said that the people of the State were sick of subsequent anti-people Governments and they see AAP as the only hope on the vast political horizon.

“AAP in Punjab would go the whole hog to reach out to the remotest village and every household with the Delhi model of governance,” he said adding that he would try hard to take the party forward on the path of progress for which he sought everybody’s help.

AAP leaders, led by Sisodia, formally reinstalled Mann as the Punjab unit chief at a simple ceremony in the presence of MLAs, zonal presidents, district presidents, area presidents and other who’s who of the party.

SISODIA DUCKS QUERY ON SYL

Ducking the query on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday maintained that the decision on the same would be taken by the party’s State unit core committee.

Delhi would be benefitted with the construction of the SYL canal, which the Punjab has all along been opposing it. The matter is currently subjudice.

“The decision on the water issue is to be taken by the party’s Punjab unit core committee,” said Sisodia without clarifying party’s stand on the issue.

Mann, on the other hand, said that both the BJP-SAD and the Congress party had been politicising the sensitive issue to gain political interest. “They never took the trouble to resolve the issue in spite of the fact that the stakeholders had their Governments in Punjab, Haryana and at the Centre,” said Mann while declaring that AAP would take the issue to a conclusive end.

On the issue of rebel leaders and MLAs, Sisodia said that the party would not suffer from the departure of the leaders who were “greedy” for posts, without naming anyone.

Meanwhile, Principal Daljit Singh Bhagta from Bathinda joined the AAP, after Mann took over as AAP’s State unit chief.

Bhagta was allegedly insulted by some supporters of an Akali Minister. He holds 14 post-graduate degrees, said Mann.