The North News
Chandigarh, February 24
Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is facing renewed political turbulence as Leader of the Opposition(LoP) Partap Bajwa again claims that 32 of the party’s MLAs are in discussions to switch sides. He has accused Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal of running Punjab’s government remotely, leaving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with little authority.
Bajwa alleged that recent police transfers were dictated from Delhi, and that former Delhi ministers, including ex-deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, were influencing Punjab’s administration. “Mann has no power. Key decisions are being made in Delhi, not in Punjab,” he alleged while talking to media on Monday.
Bajwa further claimed that Mann is likely to join the BJP, while AAP state president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora may switch to Congress in the future.
AAP’s internal stability has come under question following its poor performance in the recent Delhi Assembly elections. The party, which once controlled the capital, suffered a major setback, prompting Kejriwal to convene a meeting of Punjab’s cabinet, MLAs, and MPs at Kapurthala House in New Delhi recently. Critics argue this move highlights Kejriwal’s centralised control and undermines Mann’s leadership.
Recently, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar suggested that Mann appeared visibly unsettled after the Delhi meeting. “His usual confidence was missing,” Jakhar said.
Mann, however, had dismissed Bajwa’s claims as “rumour-mongering,” insisting that Kejriwal’s national role made such speculation baseless. But observers note a shift—where once Mann confidently defended his government, his tone has become more subdued.
AAP, which won a historic 92 of 117 seats in Punjab’s 2022 assembly elections, has struggled since. The party performed poorly in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, securing just three seats, and faced further challenges in the November bypolls. With murmurs of discontent growing, opposition parties see an opening.
