Punjab (The Stellar News): Bhagwant Mann, say top sources, is the likely chief ministerial face of the Aam Aadmi Party for the upcoming Punjab polls. The party, sources insist, has made up its mind that the elections will be fought in the Sangrur MP’s name, who is also the party’s state chief.
The sources attribute the delay in announcement to party chief Arvind Kejriwal having tested positive for Covid this morning.
In early December, Bhagwant Mann had stunningly claimed that a senior BJP leader offered him money and a place in the Union Cabinet to join their party ahead of the state polls.
Naming Goa, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh as examples, Mr Mann accused the BJP of basing their politics around poaching leaders from other parties.
The BJP, on its part, has rubbished these allegations and challenged Mr Mann to publicly reveal the name of the leader he is referring to.
Mr Mann has refused to take the bait. Just recently, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, on debut, won 14 of the 35 seats in the Chandigarh Civic polls, unseating the BJP, which swept the polls last time winning 20 seats.
The Congress too, improved its performance, doubling its seats from four to eight – all at the expense of the BJP.
The AAP is hoping to win big in the Punjab assembly elections, boosted by the constant public bickering in the ruling Congress and the falling out of the Akali Dal and the BJP over the contentious farm laws.
Mr Kejriwal’s party has made a host of promises, assuring that they will replicate the Delhi model of governance in the state with focus on free power, water, doorstep services, health and education.
Last time the AAP won 20 of the 117 seats in Punjab.
