Key Points
Cheema calls Bajwa's claims of 32 AAP MLAs defecting completely false
AAP leadership remains united behind Kejriwal and Mann
Bajwa compared potential defection to Eknath Shinde's Maharashtra strategy
Speaking to ANI, Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, "He does low-level politics because he wants to join BJP. First, he sends his brother (Fatehjang Singh Bajwa) to the party... he is hungry for power. We stand firmly with Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann and AAP. No MLA is going anywhere... Bajwa is an expert in spreading lies."
Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that, like Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, Pratap Singh Bajwa's brother, he wants to join the BJP. He also clarified that all these claims are wrong. All AAP MLAs support and stand firmly with Arvind Kejriwal. He also accused Bajwa of spreading lies.
Earlier, on Monday, Punjab Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa made sensational claims, alleging that 32 AAP MLAs are in touch with him and ready to join Congress.
Bajwa likened the situation to the "Eknath Shinde episode" in Maharashtra, where Shiv Sena MLAs defected to form a new government. He further claimed that these MLAs are making 'advance bookings' just like people buy tickets for Diljit Dosanjh's show in advance.
"There will be an 'Eknath Shinde episode' in Punjab in the coming months. These MLAs are doing 'advance booking' to join the Congress, just like people buy tickets in advance for Diljit Dosanjh's show," Bajwa said while referring to the breakup of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, stated that these MLAs are leaving AAP because they see no future with the party.
He emphasised that the Congress is not trying to destabilise the government; rather, the MLAs are coming to the party voluntarily.
"Our program is not to destabilise the government. The (AAP MLAs) themselves are coming to Congress. They understand that they have no future. Once elections are called, we will call them," Bajwa told reporters, adding, "I am firm on my statement."
