Chandigarh, April 24
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa today said that the ongoing split within the Aam Aadmi Party in the Rajya Sabha has laid bare the party’s true character, asserting that the crisis is not ideological but rooted in a struggle for control over Punjab’s resources and public money.
Bajwa said the developments have confirmed long-standing concerns that AAP’s politics in Punjab has been driven less by governance and more by internal competition for access to the state exchequer. “What is unfolding today is not a clash of principles but a conflict over power, patronage, and money,” he stated.
Calling out the contradictions within AAP, Bajwa said it is deeply ironic that Raghav Chadha has claimed he could not remain a partner in wrongdoing within the party, while Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has alleged that Chadha and others left because they were not allowed to indulge in corruption.
“When both sides are accusing each other of corruption, the truth becomes self-evident. This was never about ideology. It has always been about money and the systematic loot of Punjab’s public exchequer,” Bajwa said.
Bajwa further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party has played its own role in what he described as the “trading of the people’s mandate.” Bajwa said central investigative agencies were used to unearth details of alleged ill-gotten wealth, but instead of ensuring that justice prevails, such information appears to have been leveraged to pressure and politically co-opt individuals into the BJP’s fold. “This raises serious questions about the misuse of institutions meant to uphold the law. The people of India expect accountability, not political bargaining built on selective action,” he said.
Bajwa asserted that in stark contrast, the Indian National Congress has consistently upheld democratic values, transparency, and accountability in public life. He said that when the people of Punjab entrust Congress with responsibility in 2027, the party will ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into all acts of “omission and commission,” and hold those responsible accountable under the law.
“The Congress Party stands firmly for clean governance and respect for the people’s mandate. Punjab deserves stability, integrity, and leadership that puts public interest above political opportunism,” he said. He added that the people of Punjab are now witnessing the collapse of a model that was projected as honest and reformist but has instead descended into infighting and serious allegations of corruption at the highest levels. “Punjab deserves better than this cycle of allegations and counter-allegations — it deserves accountable governance that restores faith in public institutions,” Bajwa added.
