Punjab CM rips into Congress over internal chaos, denies cross-voting in V-P poll

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday denied allegations that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs from Punjab cross-voted in the recent vice-presidential election, while sharply criticising Congress for internal disarray and mismanagement. Speaking to India Today TV, Mann said the party ensured its MPs voted as directed and that no deviation occurred in V-P polls.

Responding to a query about reports that some MPs from Punjab did not align with the AAP during the election, Mann clarified that the party took special measures to ensure participation. He said MPs Shichewal and Ashok Mittal were taken off their regular schedules and provided transportation, including cars and flights if needed, to reach Delhi and cast their votes. “When they went for the secret ballot, do you think the vote was not ours? We did not cross-vote,” Mann asserted.

The vice-presidential election was held earlier this month on September 9, following the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar in July. CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, won the poll by securing 452 votes against Opposition INDIA bloc nominee B Sudershan Reddy, who polled 300 votes. The BJP-led NDA, with support from smaller parties including the YSR Congress, comfortably crossed the halfway mark in the 775-member Electoral College.

Mann criticised the Congress party for allegedly not managing its own members and repeatedly questioning the loyalty of others. Mann cited that 115 former Congress MPs have joined the BJP and highlighted internal issues within Congress as a reason for such doubts.

Mann also spoke about AAP’s strained relations within the INDI Alliance, pointing to disagreements over seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh and alleging lapses in communication and coordination. He recounted instances where seat allocations were mishandled, even referencing a case where a candidate proposed for a seat had been deceased for nine years.

Highlighting AAP’s focus on governance and public service, Mann emphasised that the party operates on determination and the intention of serving people, rather than political maneuvering. “There should be determination, there should be passion. If you have the intention of serving people, then no one can stop you,” he said.

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