AAP will contest alone on all 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab: Mann

Chandigarh, Jan 17: Amidst seat-sharing talks between Congress and AAP, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said Punjab will contest all the 13 parliamentary seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“History will be created in Punjab as AAP will win all 13 seats. It will be verdict in favour of pro-people policies of the state government and the opposition will be badly renounced by people for their anti-Punjab stance,” Mann said, while categorically stating that AAP will contest alone in Punjab.

The INDIA bloc -- a coalition of 26 opposition parties, which aims to take on NDA- led by BJP -- is currently engaged in seat sharing talks. AAP is also a constituent and its senior leadership are presently holding talks with the Congress to finalise seat sharing in Punjab and Delhi.

Interestingly, AAP and Congress -- this week -- stitched an alliance to contest the January 18 mayoral post in Chandigarh as allies.

AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar Tita will contest the polls for the mayor’s post, whereas Congress’ Gurpreet Singh Gabi and Nirmala Devi will fight for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor respectively.

Responding to Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's threat to assassinate him and DGP Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day, Mann said he is the custodian of peace, progress and prosperity of the state and such intermediation cannot stop him from this noble task.

“Such threats are a natural outcome of the zero-tolerance policy adopted by the state to foil the nefarious designs of anti-Punjab forces,” the Chief Minister said.

He said these people are trying to disturb the hard earned peace but his government will not allow these forces to succeed in their evil designs.

“Punjab being a border state is hostile to such challenges both from within and outside the state. We will face it valiantly by not succumbing to threats,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that the masterminds of such anti-Punjab stances have taken shelter in countries abroad but “we are trying to bring them back and punish them for their sins.”

He said that the countries that are haven to such dreaded criminals should send these hardcore criminals back in the larger interest of world peace.

The Chief Minister said the Central government should also take steps to bring such dreaded anti-national criminals back to the country and punish them as per the law of land.

Taking a jibe over Congress leader Navjot Sidhu, the Chief Minister described him as a ‘fugitive’ who ran away from discharging duty when he was offered the charge of power minister.