'Tell Sonia, Rahul Gandhi Not To Give Us LS Seats’: Bhagwant Mann Vs Partap Bajwa In Punjab Assembly

The Punjab Assembly on Monday witnessed heavy drama after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann engaged in a heated argument with Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa over seat-sharing arrangements ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

While speaking at the assembly, the chief minister said that Bajwa should tell the party leadership, which includes Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, to not bother giving AAP Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Haryana or Gujarat as well.

“Who does Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi sit with? With me. Have you ever sat with them? On one hand, you are making agreements (on seat sharing) with us. Go and tell them (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) not to give Kurukshetra, Delhi and Gujarat (Lok Sabha) seats for us,” said Mann.

Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced that it would contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab as well as the Chandigarh seat, a move not taken well by the INDIA bloc.

The confrontation between AAP leaders and Congress began after opposition MLAs entered the well of the House shouting slogans against the chief minister’s action of presenting the padlock. The House was then adjourned for 15 minutes as the face-off between the Congress and AAP MLAs escalated.

The heated exchanges between some of the AAP MLAs and the Congress legislators continued even as some MLAs from both parties tried to intervene to calm the situation.

‘Will Contest From Mann’s Constituency’: Cong Leader Partap Bajwa

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday said that he will contest elections from wherever Bhagwan Mann will want him to.

“When the heated argument was going on, CM asked me if I would contest against him in the elections. I told him that from wherever he will contest from Punjab, I will stand against him. I have accepted his challenge openly,” Singh said.

Reacting to the ugly spat with Bhagwant Mann in the assembly on Monday, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said that the chief minister’s behaviour was unethical and unconstitutional.

“Mann’s utterly unethical and unconstitutional behaviour on the floor of the house during the second day of the budget session is highly deplorable.  He made a mockery of the position of CM by asking the Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to lock the house from the inside. He must explain as per what constitutional ground, he attempted to get the house locked. He has crossed all the limits of absurdity.  The Punjab CM has not yet answered why his government let the Haryana police commit barbarity on the Punjabi farmers,” said Mann.

Before the discussion commenced, Mann gave the Speaker an envelope containing a “lock and key” asking him to lock the Opposition inside the House so that they don’t walk out during a discussion.

Mann also slammed the opposition MLAs for disruption of the Governor’s address on the opening day of the Budget session on March 1 and demanded a discussion in the House.