“The BJP and the Congress have been practicising adjustment politics for decades. That is why there is a need for a third party,’‘ Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader, said in Belagavi on Wednesday.
“Across various States, the two parties practise adjustment politics. Their senior leaders are friends and they come to an agreement about various seats where compromise candidates are given tickets to help each other. The AAP is not like that. We practise the politics of self respect,” he told journalists.
“Both national parties had engineered defections of MLAs and MPs unabashedly in several States. Whenever they are insecure about majority, they purchase MLAs. Their attitude is like whenever they do it, it is right, but when others do it, it is wrong. However, the AAP has stayed away from such practices,” he said.
He said that national level AAP leaders would visit various districts for campaigning. “We have general elections in Karnataka and byelections in Punjab and other States. These elections are important for us as they are the first elections after the AAP was declared a national party,” he said.
He accused the Union government of misusing constitutional agencies to silence critics. It has been targeting AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia in Delhi.
“Even in Karnataka, the Centre is doing that,” he said. “The BJP should realise that there is need for internal democracy among political parties. Elected people should run parties, not selected parties,” he said.
He said that the AAP was like a fresh breath of air in Indian politics as it had stayed clear of any kind of adjustments or compromise politics. Later, he spoke to party workers after the nomination of some party nominees.
He said that the AAP government in Punjab had resolved the issue of sugarcane arrears by factories. “Due to our swift action, farmers have got around ₹3,000 crore of arrears,” he said.
AAP candidate Raju Topannanvar filed his nomination from Belagavi North constituency. He said that he will fight for the allround development of Belagavi and protection of its environment.
“Leaders of all parties have acted in self interest all these years. We will try to reverse that trend and demonstrate to the people that politics is for public good,” he said.
AAP State president Prithvi Reddy, district president Shankar Hegde, leaders like Ravindra Bellad, Basanagouda Chikkanagoudar, and others were present.
Published - April 20, 2023 12:52 am IST
