Mid-term poll likely due to defections in ruling party: Congress

The Congress on Monday claimed that the disenchantment in the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party is brewing after its defeat in the Delhi Assembly poll and the state may head to mid-term elections due to defections in the ruling party ranks.

According to Congress leaders, several legislators of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are in contact with the BJP and their party to secure their political future. However, party leaders admitted that at this juncture, the resources at the BJP’s disposal were to the disadvantage of the Congress.

“If the BJP fails to muster support of enough MLAs, then there could be mid-term elections. But the BJP does not have any base in Punjab and people won’t accept it. The only option for the disenchanted MLAs is to join the Congress,” said Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

Randhawa’s statement came a day after Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa claimed that close to 30 AAP MLAs, who had joined the party after defecting from the Congress during the 2022 Assembly poll, are in his contact.

Bajwa on Monday said the disenchanted MLAs have no option but to join the Congress as people of Punjab “will never accept a BJP government”.

He expressed apprehensions that AAP legislators may bring a “no-confidence motion” against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the party forum, seeking his removal.

“A no-confidence motion against the CM would trigger defections in AAP,” added Bajwa.