Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader (AAP) Bhagwant Mann has alleged that India will become like Russia if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. There will be no opposition in India, Mann said.
“These polls are very important. Agar log chook gaye, to Russia ki tarah, Putin ki tarah bas main, main, main hoga, aur vipaksh khatam (If people miss this time, India will be like Russia, Vladimir Putin, and there won’t be any Opposition,)” Mann said in an interview with the Indian Express.
Last month, Vladimir Putin won Russian Presidential election in a landslide securing 87 per cent of the vote. On completion of the six-year term in office, Putin will be Russia’s longest-serving leader in over 200 years, surpassing Josef Stalin. Putin has been criticised for allegedly suppressing opposition, including the media and civil society. Alexei Navalny who was seen as Putin’s only viable challenger died under mysterious circumstances earlier this year.
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Mann, who is the top campaigner of Aam Aadmi Party in absence of party chief Arvind Kejriwal, who is in jail, said the ongoing Lok Sabha election is not about winning or losing but to save democracy and Constitution.
“Two-three top leaders have said, whether by mistake or intentionally, that give us 400 seats and we will change the Constitution. How dare they? As it is, they don’t follow the Constitution. Supreme Court is supreme, but they don’t obey its directions. The apex court ruled in favour of Kejriwal 5-0, but they brought an ordinance at 6pm and changed the ruling. They don’t listen to the EC either. CBI, and ED are their ‘kamaoo bete’(earning sons),” Mann said.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is seeking a record third term under PM Modi, has set a target of winning 400 seats this election. The ruling alliance is challenged by the opposition parties led by the Congress under the banner of the INDIA bloc.
Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest: Delhi CM’s judicial custody ends today as politics heat up over his diabetic condition
AAP is contesting election in Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana in alliance with the Congress party as part of INDIA bloc. In Punjab AAP is contesting the election alone. Mann also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of arresting Kejriwal to prevent him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha Elections.
“Kejriwal is not a person, he is a thought. You can arrest a person but no this thought. AAP is not an NGO, it’s a national party, we have five legislators in Gujarat, two in Goa, we have 13 people in the Rajya Sabha, we have two mayors. Kejriwal has been sent to jail on a false case but AAP is standing like a rock behind him. Yesterday Sunita ji (Kejriwal’swife) had also gone to Ranchi with me. The BJP wants him to stay away from canvassing, I will do it on his behalf,” he said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in Tihar jail in connection with the alleged Delhi Liquor scam case. His judicial custody ends today, April 23. The AAP chief will be produced before a city court today, April 23, where a decision on his judicial custody will be taken.
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Published: 23 Apr 2024, 09:17 AM IST