Congress's 'Hitler' Attack At AAP Amid Pact For Key Poll Widens I.N.D.I.A Bloc's Punjab Rift

The Congress's attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government continues even as the party joins forces with AAP in the Chandigarh mayor polls.

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa (left) and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.

Source : Social media profiles of the leaders

The I.N.D.I.A bloc's woes in Punjab don't seem to have an end as the conflict between the AAP and the Congress continue despite the two parties putting up a united front in the Chandigarh mayor elections. Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Congress's Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday hit out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and said that he was following German dictator Adolf Hitler's ideology. Bajwa also said that Mann should remove the pictures of BR Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh from his office as the CM is "going against their ideologies".

Bajwa said, "I want to ask Bhagwant Mann that you are not going to remain [the CM] forever. If you think that we will refrain from speaking about the shortfalls of the government, then you are wrong... We have never been scared of anything... It is time for you to remove the pictures of Dr Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh from your offices because what you are doing is completely against their ideology. Please remove their pictures from your offices... It would be better to put pictures of Adolf Hitler because you are walking on his ideology..."

#WATCH | Chandigarh: Punjab Assembly LoP Partap Singh Bajwa says, "I want to ask Bhagwant Mann that you are not going to remain (the CM) forever. If you think that we will refrain from speaking about the shortfalls of the government, then you are wrong... We have never been… pic.twitter.com/aGsZwYvG1Y

— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2024

AAP, Congress Team Up For Chandigarh Mayoral Polls

Bajwa's comments came right before the Chandigarh mayoral elections, in which the AAP and the Congress have teamed up as I.N.D.I.A partners against the BJP. Congress leader and former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal earlier posted on X: "Congress and AAP in Chandigarh have become the first constituents of Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance [INDIA] parties to implement the decisions and sentiments of INDIA to not let BJP win elections by default."

Congress had refrained from voting in the Chandigarh mayoral polls in 2022 and 2023, handing the BJP a "default" win.

"For the Chandigarh mayoral elections, candidates of the Congress will contest the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor while AAP will fight for the mayor’s post. Together we will win all three positions, thus heralding the end of BJP’s anti-democracy rule in the country," his post added.

However, just hours before his post Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleged the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government of misusing its power. "Justice has prevailed as Sukhpal Singh Khaira is granted bail. The law stands strong for those who are true, despite the unjust treatment he faced. The misuse of power by AAP Punjab will not go unquestioned. Fairness and truth triumphs," he posted on X.

Numbers Game

The BJP leads the municipal council with 14 members, while the AAP is close behind with 13. The Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have 7 and 1 councillor, respectively in the 36-member House. In addition to these members, the Chandigarh MP will also vote in the polls as an ex officio member. The current Chandigarh MP is BJP's Kirron Kher.

For the Mayor's post, BJP councillor Manoj Sonkar will go up against AAP's Kuldeep Singh. BJP leader Kuljeet Sandhu and Congress's Gurpreet Singh will contest the senior deputy Mayor's chair. BJP's Rajinder Sharma will take on Congress's Nirmala Devi for the right to sit on the deputy mayor's chair.