AAP fallen back on compromised CM candidate: Sukhbir Badal
Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Jan, 2022 12:36 PM
Chandigarh, Jan 18 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had fallen back on compromised candidate Bhagwant Mann as no one was ready to lead the party in Punjab.
Terming the nomination of Mann as a stage managed non-event, the SAD President said AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal never wanted to make Mann the face of the party in Punjab.
"He has been saying so at Mann's face while asserting that the party was looking for a capable candidate. It is also a fact that AAP sounded off a number of prospective candidates but each and every one of them refused to lead the party. This is why the responsibility has been thrust on Bhagwant after a make belief survey," he said in a statement.
Asserting that making Mann the face of the party reflected the complete bankruptcy of AAP, Sukhbir Badal said: "A desperate public relation exercise is underway to wash away Mann's omissions and commissions and project him as a leader who can take on the mantle of chief minister even though his wayward and irresponsible conduct is well known to each and everyone."
He also asked Kejriwal to tell Punjabis whom they should repose their trust in now.
"AAP has led a very public campaign urging Punjabis to repose their trust in Kejriwal since more than one year. During this same period Kejriwal has asserted that Mann is not capable of holding this post.
"Now when AAP has exhausted all options and chosen Mann to lead the party in Punjab, it needs to explain why Punjabis should trust a leader who Kejriwal refused to endorse for more than one year. Kejriwal cannot take Punjabis to be so naive as to approve his rubber stamped candidate.
"They need strong and decisive leadership as well a leader with a proven track record of conducting swift development as well as ensuring law and order and peace and communal harmony in this border state. Mann does not fit this bill," Sukhbir Badal added.
State NCP President and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, Mumbai party President and Minister Nawab Malik and others visited the martyrs' memorial at the August Kranti Maidan in south Mumbai and paid homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the country's Independence.
He was the prime mover behind the letter written to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi calling for wide-ranging reforms and is also seen one of the leaders who has serious differences with the working of Rahul Gandhi.
Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday urged the Centre and the state governments "to fully acknowledge and honour the contribution of each and every player, in addition to the medal winners, who represented the country at the Tokyo Olympics".
The 'Skytrax World Airport' awards are considered to be the most significant accolade for the airport industry, voted by customers in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey.
Rahul Gandhi along with other leaders sat with the agitating farmers. He said, "Everybody in the opposition has gathered to extend support against the 'black laws'. We want a discussion over Pegasus, but they (Government) are not allowing the discussion, Narendra Modi has intercepted every Indian's phone with the spyware."
