‘Delhi Darbar’ on Punjab politics, Bhagwant Mann leaves Chandigarh with entire cabinet to meet Kejriwal

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has left for Delhi from Chandigarh with his entire cabinet. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has called this meeting of his Punjab leaders amid discussions of growing internal discontent in the party’s state unit. Kejriwal will hold a meeting with Bhagwant Mann, his ministers and all the MLAs and MPs of Punjab at Kapurthala House in Delhi from 11 am. Opposition parties – Congress and BJP have claimed that former Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal is preparing to remove Bhagwant Mann from the post of Punjab CM.

According to party sources, Kejriwal has called this meeting of Punjab ministers, MLAs and MPs to discuss the Delhi assembly elections and take their feedback. Because these leaders had actively campaigned for the party candidates in the national capital. More than 200 leaders, including Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, his cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs and AAP state unit officials, were camping in Delhi for weeks for the election campaign. Party sources said the agenda of the meeting is to analyse the Delhi election results and formulate a strategy for the Punjab assembly elections to be held in early 2027.

The Aam Aadmi Party may be calling it an organisational meeting, but it has fuelled speculation of unrest in the party over the failure to fulfil election promises in Punjab and growing tension between Kejriwal and Mann. Opposition parties have also questioned the meeting of Punjab government representatives being held in Delhi. The Congress alleges that Punjab is being governed not by Bhagwant Mann but by Arvind Kejriwal sitting in Delhi. Meanwhile, BJP leader Tarun Chugh has claimed that the countdown of the Mann government in Punjab has begun. Delhi BJP MLA Majinder Singh Sirsa has warned Bhagwant Mann that Kejriwal is planning to remove him from the post.

Pratap Bajwa claims split in AAP

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa said, “More than 30 AAP MLAs in Punjab are in touch with us.” While Congress MP from Gurdaspur Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa predicted mid-term elections. He said, “It depends on how many AAP MLAs switch sides. Congress is the only option for AAP MLAs, as BJP has no future in the state.”

AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang said, “Pratap Singh Bajwa is dreaming impossible dreams – just like Mungerilal. His own brother (Fatehjung Bajwa) joined BJP.” Senior AAP spokesperson Neel Garg accused Manjinder Singh Sirsa of “spreading rumours” to please the BJP leadership. He said, “Bhagwant Mann is leading a stable government in Punjab. Sirsa should now worry about fulfilling BJP’s pre-poll promises in Delhi.”

Punjab has not had a cabinet meeting for 5 months

After Kejriwal called for a meeting, the Punjab government on Monday postponed a cabinet meeting, which was to be held after about 5 months to decide the dates of the state’s budget session. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said, “Delhi got rid of AAP and now Punjab also wants to get rid of it. The Bhagwant Mann government has failed to deal with the liquor, sand and mining mafia in Punjab.”

Political analysts believe that after the defeat in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal should have gone to Punjab himself instead of calling Bhagwant Mann, Punjab ministers and MLAs to Delhi for a meeting. His move strengthens the Congress’ claim that the Punjab government is being run from Delhi and the AAP ‘high command’ is all powerful instead of the people’s representatives elected by the people. Arvind Kejriwal needed to be sensitive to regional sentiments.