Ludhiana: AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday met newly elected Zila Parishad and Block Samiti members and asserted that Punjab has moved away from the era of fear, goondagardi and manipulated elections, while announcing that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would launch a full-scale campaign against gangsters on the lines of the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’. Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal cited AAP’s victory in over 70 per cent of seats in the recent Panchayat polls as a mandate for clean politics and honest governance. He said Punjab had witnessed the cleanest local body elections in its history, with no instances of vote manipulation.
Recalling past elections, Kejriwal said Panchayat polls were traditionally marked by coercion and booth capturing. “Today, after four years of our government, elections for Block Committees and District Councils were held and not even the slightest coercion was done. Look at the results,” he said, pointing out that several ruling party candidates had lost by narrow margins.
Speaking on governance, Kejriwal said: “When we took over, there was no money. Punjab had been drowned in debt… In our time, not even one month has passed when salaries were delayed.” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann reiterated his respect for Sri Akal Takht Sahib, saying: “I will appear there not as a Chief Minister, but as a humble and devout Sikh.” He added that any directive from the Takht would be obeyed “in true letter and spirit.” Mpost