The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday claimed that many big leaders, including four Ministers of the ruling Congress party in Punjab, are in touch with them. “All those leaders want to leave their Congress party and join the AAP, but because of the sand mafia and corruption allegations on them, we have refused them,” claimed AAP’s Punjab unit co-in-charge Raghav Chadha while addressing the media through a digital press conference.
Making the revelations, Chadha said these four Ministers of Charanjit Singh Channi Government are “constantly approaching” them to join AAP for the last few days. “Since, these four leaders are facing serious allegations related to sand mafia, we have decided not to include them in our party. AAP has no need for a ‘sand mafia’ disguised as a leader,” he said.
Chadha said the AAP is an honest party. “We do politics for welfare and development of the people. There is no place for such corrupt and mafia people in AAP. We do not want such people who have sold even the soil of Punjab, which is called mother...Our party does not want such sand thieves and mafia leaders of Congress.”
Confirming the claims made by Chadha, AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also took to Twitter. “Aam Aadmi Party is going to form the government in Punjab after a few months. So many leaders from other parties are approaching to join the Aam Aadmi Party. We will not include any corrupt and criminal leader (to the party) under any circumstances. We will give a clean and honest Government to Punjab,” he tweeted.
At the same issue, AAP MP and Punjab state unit president Bhagwant Mann tweeted, “Congress government is about to go. Only one month is left. That’s why many of their big leaders are voraciously looting the Punjab. We will not include any dishonest leader in our party.”
Notably a few days back, Kejriwal had also claimed that Punjab Congress’ 25 MLAs and two MPs were approaching him to join the party, but he had refused to include them in the party, saying that “we don’t want Congress’ kachchra (waste)”.
Chadha spreading false rumours, says Channi; Warns AAP to desist from mouthing lies to create unnecessary hype Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and party Delhi MLA Raghav Chaddha over spreading false rumours that four of his Cabinet Ministers might join AAP. At the same time, the Chief Minister warned AAP to desist from mouthing lies in order to create unnecessary hype.
“AAP only wants to create its nuisance value by indulging in misleading and malicious talk but these tactics would backfire,” said the Chief Minister, while interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of the event to lay the foundation stones of a slew of significant projects, worth Rs 100 crore, aimed at overall development of Kharar and Morinda.
The Chief Minister also announced an additional Rs 10 crore for the all round prosperity of Morinda.
Laying the foundation stone of an ITI, an indoor sports hall including an auditorium and a football field at Tripri village in Kharar at a combined cost of Rs 20 crore , the Chief Minister thanked the village panchayat Tripri for donating eight acres of land, and said that the upcoming ITI would be a milestone in affording a chance to the youth of the region in honing their skills, the indoor sports hall would comprise facilities for sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and others thus giving a huge boost to the sporting infrastructure of the area.
“The ITI building would be completed by the end of January, 2022 while the indoor Sports hall would see completion by August 2022,” he said, adding that the football field would be completed by April 2022.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also handed over cheques to the tune of Rs 6.85 crore to 140 Youth Clubs or Welfare Societies of Sri Chamkaur Sahib, Rupnagar, and Morinda blocks of Sri Chamkaur Sahib constituency. Out of these, 68 are operating in rural areas while 72 are functional in the urban areas.