Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann targets Bajwa brothers on home turf, mocks their association with different parties

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday targeted Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and his brother Fateh Jung Bajwa on their home turf, questioning their association with two different political parties.

“Partap and Fateh Jung Bajwa are in two different parties yet stay in the same house, making a laughing stock of themselves,” he said at a rally here. Partap Singh Bajwa is a Congress leader while Fateh Jung Bajwa belongs to the BJP.

‘Statement shows his political immaturity’

In response, Bajwa said Mann’s remarks “speak volumes about his political immaturity”.

“He should rather tell people what his government has done on the issues of employment generation, industry, healthcare and agriculture. The CM should neither waste time nor waste words,” he said. The CM also said his government had decided to accord the status of a subdivision to Kahnuwan, part of the Qadian Vidhan Sabha seat that falls in the Bajwa family bastion.

The CM said he had directed Gurdaspur DC Aditya Uppal to send him a proposal to convert Kahnuwan into a subdivision. “We will construct a building in which offices of the SDM, tehsildar and DSP will come under one roof,” he said. He announced plans to build a national stadium at Kahnuwan. The CM also inaugurated road projects worth Rs 168.45 crore.

“These roads will be constructed by the PWD and the Punjab Mandi Board. I urge people to keep an eye on the material used by the contractors. If you notice any corruption, please report it to us. We will take action against the erring contractors,” he said.

Taking a dig at the Congress, he said, “In the recent Barnala rally, Rahul Gandhi openly castigated his own leaders in front of a packed audience. He asked them to fall in line or be ready to be in the reserves. Rahul knows that the warring Congress leaders will spoil the party’s prospects in the assembly polls, that is why he came out with this warning.”

Mann also promised to open an ITI in Kahnuwan. He added that the previous Congress government had allowed private businessmen to set up and operate toll-plazas. “I have closed down many of them while the remaining will come under the chopping block soon. Congress leaders used to take a hefty commission from these businessmen,” he alleged.