Bhagwant Mann said a BJP leader offered him money and a cabinet position to join the BJP.
Chandigarh:
Punjab Party Chairman Aam Aadmi Bhagwant Mann on Sunday claimed a senior BJP leader had offered him money and a place in the Union Cabinet to join their party ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections. . Speaking to the media, MP Sangrur criticized the BJP for “trading horses” and insisted that he could not be bought. The BJP has denied these allegations and challenged Mr. Mann to publicly disclose the name of the leader he was referring to.
Without naming the BJP leader, Mr. Mann said he received a call four days ago and was asked, “Mr. Mann, tell me what you want to join the BJP? Do you want the money?” The AAP leader further stated that the leader suggested that since he is the only AAP MP, the anti-defection law does not apply to him and that he be appointed a cabinet minister in the coalition government. . “Tell me what portfolio you want,” he quoted him as saying.
Citing the examples of Goa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, Mr Mann accused the BJP of basing their politics around poaching leaders from other parties.
“I told him I was on a mission, not a commission. No money can buy Bhagwant Mann,” he said, adding that he had left a well-paid job. to work for the party. The BJP is trying to buy back the trust people have placed in me and our party members, he added.
BJP Punjab Secretary General Subhash Sharma has called it Mr Mann’s attempt to stay relevant and in the spotlight. “I challenge Mr. Mann to reveal the name of the leader of the BJP so that the truth is exposed to the public, but he will not, because the nature of AAP is to make false accusations and then hide them. Arvind Kejriwal did the same, he will apologize after defamation cases are filed against him,” he said.
When asked to name the BJP leader, he said he would reveal it at “the appropriate time”.
Mann said the BJP does not have any facilities in Punjab and its meetings and rallies are sparsely attended. “They are hated here,” he said. He also hit out at the BJP, calling it “the party that killed 750 farmers, the party that killed farmers like insects in Lakhimpur Kheri.”
Sources confirmed this could also have been a subtle message from him to the party as he is said to be unhappy about not being officially appointed as the Chef’s Secretary candidate. “BJP thinks I have some quarrels with the party; I don’t quarrel with the party. Sometimes in the party you have problems like in a family, but we will deal with it internally.” I said.
Mr. Sharma said these allegations are AAP leadership’s plan to gain more importance in his party as it does not make him the face of CM nor does he get any importance. any in AAP. “There are a lot of hoards in Punjab with pictures of Mr. Kejriwal and no sign of Bhagwant Mann so he makes such claims to get noticed,” he said.
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