'I Sent Officials To Meet Kejriwal': Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann On Oppn's 'Rubber Stamp' Charges

Bhagwant Mann has been facing criticism from Opposition parties after a delegation of Punjab government officials met AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal earlier this week.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Amid accusations by Opposition parties that the Punjab government was being run through "remote control" from Delhi, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday rejected the charges and said he himself was calling the shots in the state.

Mann has been facing criticism from Opposition parties after a delegation of Punjab government officials met AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal earlier this week, PTI reported.

The Punjab CM said it was he who sent officials for the meeting with Delhi CM Kejriwal. Mann said he would send officers for sharpening their administrative skills and expertise whereever needed, a CMO statement said.

CM Mann further said that the Delhi government's reforms in education, health and power sector were unmatched and there was no harm in getting training from them, the CMO statement said.

Opposition parties in Punjab had described the meeting with Kejriwal as an interference in the state affairs and the breach of federalism. Mann was called a "rubber stamp" by former chief minister Amarinder Singh.

Speaking to reporters in Jalandhar, Mann said, "I am taking all decisions. I had sent them. For training, the same officers had gone to Gujarat and for training they had gone to Tamil Nadu. If we have to send them to Israel for Punjab's benefit, I will send them there too."

"In coming days, I will send my officers to Delhi, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu," PTI quoted Mann as saying.

"If I find something good in West Bengal, then I will send my officers there. If I find something good in Gujarat, I will send them there too," he said.

Reacting to Mann's remarks, Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira called it a "belated cover-up" ordered by Arvind Kejriwal.

"This is not only a belated after thought cover up by Bhagwant Mann but definitely on instructions from Arvind Kejriwal  who felt the opposition heat for summoning Punjab officers directly to Delhi. All we want is that our CM shouldn’t be a dummy and remote controlled," Khaira tweeted.