‘CM candidate will be declared at right time’

JALANDHAR: With repeated claims over the past year from Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann that he would be happy if the party makes him Chief Minister on coming to power, Punjab party affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh today remained non-committal to Mann’s claims, neither endorsing nor denying them.

AAP Punjab in charge Sanjay Singh with former Congress leaders who joined the AAP in Jalandhar on Sunday. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 8

With repeated claims over the past year from Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann that he would be happy if the party makes him Chief Minister on coming to power, Punjab party affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh today remained non-committal to Mann’s claims, neither endorsing nor denying them. However, he said the party would declare the CM candidate at an opportune time and also hinted there was no scope for the AAP’s alliance with any other party.

While there were reports in a section of the media that Mann had even asked the public at a rally in Jagraon to raise their hands if they wanted to see him as CM candidate, the AAP leadership, however, has been refraining to project a CM face in the state. Reacting to questions on Mann’s CM candidature, Sanjay Singh said, “Bhagwant Mann has said if the party makes him the CM, he would be happy. No person will ever say that he would be unhappy to be CM.”

When asked if Mann’s repeated open claims at public rallies amounted to indiscipline, Singh said, “If someone gets a responsibility they will be happy. Mann is just expressing that sentiment, the statement shouldn’t be misinterpreted.” Sanjay Singh played it quite safe when asked if Mann was the party’s intended CM pick. He said, “The party will announce the CM candidate at the right time.”

The AAP leader was here to meet traders and member of the business community about the party’s constituency-wise manifestos to be released in future. When asked whether the party was also considering Jarnail Singh for the CM position, Sanjay Singh said, “Jarnail has honestly fought for the victims of 1984. He has been working for Punjab for a long time. He has been fielded against the biggest face in the Punjab elections. As far as CM candidature is concerned, I can only ask you to wait.” While the AAP has already claimed its Deputy CM would be a Dalit, the party has been refraining from making any claims about the CM candidate even amidst criticism from other parties on the issue. Reacting on TMC state chief Jagmeet Brar’s allegations that the AAP had deceived him – on the alliance issue - Sanjay Singh said, “He had always said he would give unconditional support to the AAP. So, we will believe only that promise. Now what transpired within the TMC later and why he decided to field his candidates are things only he can tell. His conversation with me is open to the public and happened in front of the media. The AAP was told that he would offer unconditional support.”

When asked whether the AAP was in talks with any other party regarding an alliance, Sanjay Singh said, “We already had an alliance with the Lok Insaaf Party. What scope is there for another alliance?”