Congress, SAD-BJP have teamed up to stop AAP in Punjab: Arvind Kejriwal

Congress and SAD-BJP have joined hands to stop AAP from winning the Punjab assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today alleged.

"It is an open secret now that both Akalis and Congress have come together to keep AAP away from Punjab," Mr Kejriwal alleged while addressing the members of trading community and industry in Bathinda.

He also accused Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh of being the "joint candidate" of SAD-BJP alliance and Congress.

"That's why Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has withdrawn a corruption case against Amarinder just three months before the Punjab polls which has been going on for nearly 10 years," Mr Kejriwal alleged.

He said Mr Badal was only returning a "favour" to Amarinder by doing so as the latter opposed CBI probe against his son's brother-in-law and Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia about two years ago.

Mr Kejriwal alleged said at that time, Mr Amarinder ensured after speaking to Congress president Sonia Gandhi that no CBI probe be initiated against Mr Majithia even though PPCC president and lawmaker Partap Singh Bajwa strongly demanded it.

"People of Punjab would want to know from Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal what kind of a deal the Akalis and the Congress have struck for a complete collusion between them. After all such favours are not exchanged just for nothing," alleged Mr Kejriwal who is on Punjab tour.

Mr Kejriwal said there were thousands of "false" cases registered against people of Punjab which Mr Badal never considered withdrawing.

"So everything being done by both Akalis and Congress is to politically benefit each other," he further alleged.

Mr Kejriwal alleged that every single penny that SAD-BJP alliance or Congress would use in the Punjab polls would directly or otherwise come from the drug trade in Punjab.

"Voting for SAD-BJP alliance or Congress would mean voting for drug trade. Whereas vote for AAP would mean electing an honest, clean and transparent government in Punjab," Mr Kejriwal said.

He alleged that Akalis and Congress are spreading rumours that if AAP comes to power in Punjab it would not get any financial help from the NDA government at Centre.

"I would like to ask the people of Punjab what financial help SAD-BJP alliance has been able to get from Modi government in last two years by indulging in his sycophancy," said Mr Kejriwal.

Mr Kejriwal said he was ready to even bend before PM Modi for the sake of Punjab and its people but if he tried to ignore the demands of Punjab he also knew how to grab it from him through democratic means.

Meanwhile, Mr Kejriwal today visited the residence of a journalist, who was allegedly shot dead by a Akali Councillor few days back, to express condolence.

"Law and order situation in Punjab has stooped to a new low, which could be evident of the spree of murders by liquor mafia and murder of Kewal Krishan, a journalist by Akali Councillor," Mr Kejriwal said and alleged that the situation has become so "worse" that even journalists are not safe in Punjab.

When the family of the killed journalist apprised the visiting Delhi Chief Minister that marriage of his daughter was fixed for November 26, Mr Kejriwal said "Punjab Government should provide adequate compensation to the family to enable them to solemnise marriage of the victim's daughter apart from delivering justice".

Once voted to power, it would be a challenge for AAP Government to bring back the deteriorated law and order on the track by restoring people's faith on the police, which is at present "working like Akali Jathedars," Mr Kejriwal said.
 

(With PTI inputs)