Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president Aman Arora demonstrated leadership qualities in Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s absence during the two-day special Vidhan Sabha session that concluded on Tuesday. Steering the ruling party’s MLAs and countering the Opposition’s attacks, Arora reinforced the AAP Government’s commitment to eradicate corruption with swift and decisive action.
The defining moment came when, within hours of Congress MLA Barinder Singh Pahra raising concerns about corruption in his constituency in the House, Arora handed over the suspension orders of Gurdaspur Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Baljit Singh. Accused of embezzling Rs nine lakh from village panchayat funds, the official’s immediate suspension underscored Arora’s proactive approach and his authority within the current regime. The swiftness of the action signaled that the AAP Government would neither shield the corrupt nor allow any delays in punitive measures.
Pahara, during Zero Hour, raised concerns about financial irregularities in Gurudaspur’s Lodhinangal village panchayat, alleging that the BDPO had siphoned off Rs nine lakh meant for development work. He submitted that despite repeated demands for an investigation, no action had been taken until the issue was formally brought to the floor of the Vidhan Sabha.
Congress MLA alleged that the accused officer had failed to provide accounts for Rs four crore spent on development work and had even undertaken two international trips without informing the department.
Over the course of the two-day session, Arora, much like a battle-hardened commander on the front lines, steered the ruling benches through a storm of opposition salvos. While CM Mann remained absent on the first day due to health reasons and appeared only at the fag end of the session on the second day, it was Arora who took charge of ensuring that the Government remained on the offensive rather than just playing defense.
Not limiting himself to answering queries related to his own departments, Arora stood firm, assisting his Cabinet colleagues when they came under attack. He was seen offering clarifications, assurances, and in some cases, immediate corrective measures — exemplified by the BDPO’s suspension — to maintain the credibility of the government.
Arora’s leadership extended beyond the Vidhan Sabha floor. Ahead of the session on Monday, he convened a meeting of AAP’s legislature party, setting the tone and strategy for the upcoming discussions. He advised party MLAs against cornering their own government in the House.
Meanwhile, he fiercely countered the Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa’s “32 AAP MLAs in his touch” claims. Arora dismissed the statement outright, accusing the Opposition of indulging in baseless propaganda and emphasizing that the AAP legislators were committed to the party’s governance agenda.
Third in Command, But the Man of the Hour
While officially third in the Cabinet hierarchy after CM Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Arora’s role during the special session painted a picture of a leader in full control. On Tuesday, Arora led the party’s response to Bajwa's allegations of corruption against the Minister. Bajwa was seeking an explanation from the Government over accusations leveled by the PSEB Engineers Association, claiming that ruling party officials had pressured them to raise “party funds”.
Taking on Bajwa, Arora effectively flipped the corruption narrative back onto the Congress. What began as Bajwa’s attempt to corner the ruling AAP Government quickly backfired when Arora launched a counteroffensive, exposing Congress-era scandals. Arora acknowledged the existence of a letter from the association but pointed out that it did not name AAP, dismissing Bajwa’s allegations as baseless, while coming in all-out support of his cabinet and party colleague Harbhajan Singh ETO.
In a sharp retort, he reminded Bajwa of the 2020 Tarn Taran liquor tragedy, citing a retired Enforcement Directorate officer’s report that implicated a Congress Minister and 10 MLAs. He also highlighted past Revenue Department corruption cases, demanding that Bajwa first answer for his own party’s track record before casting aspersions on AAP.
As Bajwa pressed for a House Committee probe, Arora deflected the attack, emphasizing that a Vigilance Bureau inquiry into financial irregularities was already underway.
Bajwa, AAP Ministers Clash Over Corruption Allegations
The allegations of corruption ignited a fierce war of words between Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and AAP Ministers on Tuesday. The House quickly turned into a battleground as Bajwa sought an explanation from the government over accusations leveled by the PSEB Engineers Association, claiming that ruling party officials had pressured them to raise “party funds”. The charge sparked an uproar, with Ministers from AAP, led by party's state unit president Aman Arora, vehemently denying the claims.
Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO dismissed the allegations outright, demanding Bajwa to clarify on whose behalf the funds were allegedly sought. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema weighed in, stating that no formal complaint had been submitted to the Vigilance Bureau, though investigations into financial irregularities within the power sector were ongoing.
As tempers flared, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan attempted to rein in the heated exchange, reprimanding Bajwa for not listening to the Minister’s response. However, the Congress leader remained firm, insisting on the formation of a House Committee or a judicial commission to probe the matter, escalating tensions further.
Adding to the fray, AAP Punjab president Aman Arora acknowledged the existence of a letter from the PSEB Engineers Association, which alleged that an unnamed political entity had sought Rs 50,000 in party funds from all power circles. However, Arora pointed out that the letter did not specify which party was involved, dismissing Bajwa’s accusations as politically motivated.
Arora defended Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, recalling his role in cracking down on corruption by ensuring the arrest of a tainted official. “As party president, it is my duty to defend my colleague,” Arora asserted, shifting focus to broader issues such as illegal mining, drug addiction, and entrenched corruption under previous regimes.
Amid the verbal skirmish, Arora also invoked a past corruption scandal, citing a report, in which retired Enforcement Directorate officer Niranjan Singh had implicated a Congress Minister and 10 MLAs in the infamous 2020 Tarn Taran liquor tragedy. He further reminded Bajwa that a Vigilance inquiry was already underway into the latest allegations and expressed hope that the findings would put the matter to rest.
The fiery debate mirrored a deeper political rivalry, with Bajwa accusing AAP of misusing government machinery to solicit funds for elections, while AAP countered by highlighting Congress-era corruption. The clash intensified when Bajwa referenced a former vigilance chief’s report, which allegedly identified 48 revenue officials as corrupt. Additionally, a retired revenue officer’s claim that nearly Rs 1,000 crore in corruption occurred monthly in tehsil offices further fueled demands for a probe.
With political barbs flying across the floor, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan attempted to restore order, questioning the authenticity of Bajwa’s claims. However, the back-and-forth continued, leaving the assembly in turmoil. As Bajwa continued to insist on forming a House committee to probe all instances, be it under current regime or previous Congress government, the Speaker asked the Congress leader to approach the Petitions Committee as already several House committees, covering various aspects, are in place.