Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday, 30 September, censured the ongoing turmoil in the Punjab government saying that the Congress has "made a mockery of government", news agency ANI reported.
Ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls slated for 2022, Kejriwal addressed a press conference in Ludhiana and added,
"A dirty fight for power is going on. All their leaders want to become CM. There's so much infighting that government has disappeared."Arvind Kejriwal, as per ANI
Speaking on the political buzz around Navjot Singh Sidhu joining APP, he asserted that it is "hypothetical" but "if anything like that happens we will tell you first of all."
After two months of assuming the post of Punjab Pradesh Congress Chief, Sidhu resigned on Tuesday, launching the Congress into an escalating party crisis.
Without denying the speculations of Sidhu being inducted in AAP, he also iterated, "I have said again and again that when the time comes we will give you a good CM face, it could be anyone. We are not thinking about it right now," ANI quoted.
Kejriwal Promises Free Healthcare, Electricity Pre-Polls
Kejriwal went on to list his 'pre-poll promises' during the presser in Ludhiana and announced that his party will provide 300 units of electricity at free cost in the state.
"We will provide 24-hour power, we have done it in Delhi," Kejriwal stated, ANI quoted.
Further, he also guaranteed better healthcare in the state, saying that if AAP comes to power, Punjab will see the establishment of bigger and better government hospitals, 16,000 pind clinics as well as free healthcare to every resident of the Punjab.
SAD's Sukhbir Singh Badal Calls Kejriwal a 'Master of Melodrama'
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal later took to social media and launched a scathing attack on Arvind Kejriwal, calling him a "master of melodrama" who "excels in mimicry".
Badal said Kejriwal's comments were a "Hindi translation" of the commitments made by SAD on 3 August. He said Kejriwal excels in mimicry and copies the ideas of other people.
He further said Kejriwal was a "master of melodrama" who lied about building flyovers and hospitals, and claiming ongoing schemes as new ones.
Badal said both the Congress and AAP lack confidence and Punjabi pride which is why "they have to invite ring masters from Delhi even to make routine promises".
"It shows their awareness that they are not trusted by Punjabis. Punjabis are too self-respecting to be remote-ruled by outsiders," he said.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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