Pb AAP MLA accuses BJP of poaching attempt

Chandigarh: Punjab Aam Aadmi Party MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj on Thursday claimed that Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini offered her a BJP ticket from Sangrur seat to contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections and also offered a closed-door meeting.

Meanwhile, Haryana CM media secretary Praveen Attrey junked Bharaj’s allegation as baseless and stated that neither Saini met nor spoke to her.

He said that it was the AAP’s modus operandi to tell lies to divert the attention of the people from the real issues.

Addressing media persons here, Bharaj, the MLA from Sangrur seat, claimed that under the BJP’s “Operation Lotus”, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini tried to approach her and contacted her a few days ago.

He gave a proposal for a closed- door meeting, she claimed.

They (BJP) need candidates from all constituencies, she stated.

He offered me a BJP ticket from the Sangrur seat to contest elections, she claimed.

“I was also offered that whatever demand I put forward will be fulfilled,” she added.

“Through the media, I want to tell the Haryana CM that whatever she is today, she is because of the AAP and people of Punjab”, said the first-time MLA.

This is not the first time that the AAP made an allegation while referring to “Operation Lotus”.

In 2022, the AAP had claimed that at least 10 of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore each in a bid to topple the six-month-old government under its “Operation Lotus”.

Referring to her association with the AAP, Bharaj said she was the first woman polling agent in Bharaj village at the age of 19 in 2014.

She said at that time, she was impressed by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann for their youth-oriented policies.

“After which I joined the party. I have been working as a dedicated worker since 2014”, she said.

A daughter of a small farmer was given the ticket by the AAP when she was 27, she said, adding that people made her the Sangrur MLA in 2022.

“I want to tell Saini saab, he should not be under any misconception that we will fall prey to this kind of politics. We came into politics to change the system and committed ourselves to ensuring better health care and education for the people of Punjab”, she noted.