Ex-Punjab CM Channi claims Cabinet meet cancelled due to infighting in AAP govt

Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday, saying it was not just the Chief Minister who was unwell, but the entire party and its government in the state that was ill and hospitalised.

He alleged that the Punjab Government was not serious about helping flood-hit families, claiming the crucial Cabinet review meeting on the calamity was cancelled because of "internal rifts", not CM Bhagwant Mann’s health.

Channi’s comments came as he accompanied Congress’ Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, who is on a two-day visit to Punjab, PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Amritsar MP Gurjit Aujla and other local Congress leaders.

Baghel, who is former Chief Minister of Chattisgarh, is here to visit six flood-ravaged border districts of the state and submit his report to Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. He flagged off relief material and said the flood devastation was the result of failures at both the state and central levels. He accused the authorities of withholding data on deaths, livestock losses and crop damage.

How could the state government and the Centre be so ‘insensitive’, he questioned, while adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not even posted a single tweet regarding the miserable situation in Punjab. They all had left Punjab’s people to fend for themselves, he alleged.

Channi, meanwhile, claimed that every Congress worker and leader was on the ground to help the flood victims. He added that the senior leader might also visit Punjab soon.

PPCC president Warring said questions on how the calamity occurred and who was at fault would be answered in the coming time after the relief operations.