Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday rubbished speculations of dissent within the state’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) unit after the party’s poor showing in the recently-concluded Delhi Assembly elections. “AAP remains united and focused on delivering good governance in Punjab,” he said.
 
“Switching sides is the Congress’ culture; they talk about others but don’t worry about themselves. I will ask Partap Singh Bajwa how many MLAs they have in Delhi. Bajwa has been making such claims for years — let him say it,” Mann said, while talking with the media after Punjab leaders meeting with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal.
 
Mann’s statement came in response to Bajwa’s claims that over 30 AAP MLAs were in touch with the Congress and might switch sides. Dismissing this, Mann said, “For the past three years, they have been predicting defections. We built this party with blood and sweat, going door to door. Our leaders are committed, and there is no greed.” 
 
Today’s meeting at Delhi’s Kapurthala House, convened in the wake of AAP’s Delhi election defeat, sparked speculation about instability in the Punjab unit and rumours that Kejriwal might replace Mann as CM. However, Mann was quick to dismiss these claims. “Let them say whatever they want. Our focus is on making Punjab a model state, learning from Delhi’s experience,” he said.
 
“The meeting was called to thank Punjab’s leadership for their efforts in Delhi. Our government is working hard in Punjab in areas like power, education, infrastructure, and healthcare, and we will accelerate our efforts,” he told reporters. 
 
Mann also defended his government’s handling of law and order, saying that Punjab remains safer than many other states. “Investors assess security before investing, and the fact that major businesses are coming here proves that law and order is under control,” he said. 
 
Highlighting recent economic developments, Mann mentioned Tata Steel's decision to set up a plant in Punjab, the first after Jamshedpur, creating over 50,000 jobs. He also spoke about efforts to end political interference in policing, stating, “We have eliminated the ‘parcha culture’ (false cases filed under political pressure). Punjab Police now operates without any political influence, ensuring justice is fair and unbiased.” 
 
Mann also accused BJP of using money and muscle power to win the Delhi elections, alleging that bribes were distributed openly. “We had to repeatedly approach the Election Commission because cash and jackets were being handed out. But we accept the people’s verdict,” he said. 
 
Concluding, he said: “We came from the grassroots and will continue to win hearts. Every promise we made will be fulfilled — some even ahead of schedule. Punjab will soon be an example for the entire country.”