The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) part of the new alliance called the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). However, there is growing tension between the two parties. The issue at hand is a massive loan of ₹50,000 crore that the Punjab government, led by AAP’s Bhagwant Mann, took, and the Congress is raising questions about how this money has been used.
Alok Sharma, a Congress leader, is demanding answers from the AAP-led government. He points out that as soon as Bhagwant Mann became the Chief Minister of Punjab, he requested ₹50,000 crore in financial support from the central government. Sharma is asking why such a huge loan was necessary and what the state has done with the money. He also mentions that AAP’s national leader, Arvind Kejriwal, had promised that the government would recover this money.
Sharma goes on to accuse the AAP government of using the loan for questionable purposes. He claims that they whitewashed old buildings and created Mohalla clinics as a form of drama. According to him, these actions have negatively impacted the state’s economy, leading to financial difficulties.
The issue came to light when Bhagwant Mann asked the governor, Banwarilal Purohit, to intervene in a pending matter regarding the Rural Development Fund (RDF), which amounts to ₹5,637 crore. In response, Governor Purohit requested details about how the ₹50,000 crore loan has been utilized during the AAP government’s tenure. He wants to ensure that the money has been used properly.
Punjab’s Finance Minister, Harpal Singh Cheema, defended the AAP government by highlighting that they inherited a massive debt of ₹3 lakh crore from previous governments. He explains that the state has to pay substantial interest on this debt. Despite these financial challenges, Cheema claims that the AAP government has been working diligently for the welfare of the people in Punjab.
Alliance between the AAP and the Congress in Punjab
As for the political landscape, it’s important to note that there will be no alliance between the AAP and the Congress in Punjab. A Punjab Cabinet minister, Anmol Gagan Maan, confirmed that the AAP would contest all 13 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections without any seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress. This decision challenges the unity of the INDIA bloc, which was intended to contest the elections together.
On the other side, Punjab Congress leaders strongly oppose any collaboration with the AAP. They believe that such an alliance would harm the Congress’s interests in the state. Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has announced that the Congress will independently contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.
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