Confidence motion necessitated, says Punjab CM in Assembly

Chandigarh, Sep 27 (IANS) Terming the Congress and the BJP as two faces of the same coin, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said the confidence motion was necessitated as both the parties have joined hands to topple the democratically-elected governments in the state.

"The BJP is using anti-defection law as a new tool to form governments in the state through the backdoor and unfortunately despite of being its worst victim, the Congress is supporting it," he said, while introducing the confidence motion on the first day of the Assembly session

The Chief Minister said the BJP has toppled the elected governments in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and others by luring MLAs. However, he said they failed in their sinister moves thrice in Delhi and now also in Punjab, they trying to purchase the MLAs.

He said the BJP is chasing a mirage of garnering power in the state.

The Chief Minister said the BJP is using its moneybags to cause an irreparable loss to democracy. He said in the past, the Congress has done the same and now the saffron party is following its footsteps.

Citing an example of connivance amongst the Congress and the BJP, Mann said the Congress leadership has started 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir but the poll-bound states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have been deliberately excluded to give benefit to the BJP.

He said that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has set new agenda of public welfare in the politics, and due to this, the BJP leadership has been forced to shun its divisive agenda and talk about the well-being of people.

Mann said it is AAP effect that the leaders who had divided the people are now seen inaugurating schools, colleges, and hospitals.

The Chief Minister said turncoats are ruling the roost now and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who had tacitly towed the line of the BJP during his stint, has now formally joined the party.

Training his guns against former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also, he said for the first time any Chief Minister face of a political party has gone missing after defeat in polls.

As a fact of matter, fear of misdeeds during the regime is haunting the former Chief Minister due to which he is on run, he claimed.

Mann said these are the rejected leaders who have been ousted by people for their non- performance. He said these leaders who have been shunted out of the Assembly by the people are now organising 'Imaginative or Mock' Assembly sessions to mislead the people and vent out their frustration.

He said the people of state have given vote for the hope and AAP is making strenuous efforts to make Punjab a frontrunner state in country.

The Chief Minister said this motion reflects that people have faith in "us and we have faith in people".

Mann said the BJP is making desperate attempts to purchase the confidence of the people but this will never be allowed at any cost. He said defeats are part of life but the Congress is not able to digest it due to which it is supporting 'Operation Lotus'.