Amid calls for change, Punjab CM Mann says anyone can take top post chair

“He started telling us that he is fine if anybody wants to become the chief minister. He said whosoever wants to become the CM can take his chair. But there is no point giving statements in the media. He can step down. He has no qualms about it. He said he does not want to stick to the post. He was referring to statements of party leaders in newspapers,” said a source privy to the developments in the meeting.

He added, “It appeared that the CM was saying all this in jest, because he usually jokes a lot. But he was serious”.

The source said that AAP state president Aman Arora, who is also a Cabinet minister, was present in the meeting. Arora had, a few days ago, given a statement that CM of Punjab should be picked on merit and it does not matter if the person is a Sikh or a Hindu.

His statement had invited strong reactions from the Opposition, with claims that after AAP’s debacle in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal would try to become the CM of Punjab — remarks that were strongly denied by the ruling party.

Kunwar Vijay Partap, who had skipped a meeting called by of Kejriwal with leaders from Punjab, said, “I did not go to the party MLAs’ meeting in Delhi. That meeting was not held to raise any demands…it was more like a one-way communication from the higher-ups. I marked my attendance over the phone and conveyed my concerns,”.

Kejriwal told the AAP leaders in Punjab at the meeting that winning the 2027 elections in the state was of utmost importance.

“I have been demanding to change the Punjab CM. I have given the reasons to party. We want to call a meeting of party MLAs so that they can elect a new leader. We are MLAs, and it is our right to elect the leader of the House,” Kunwar Vijay Pratap said.

“In my view, the reason behind the Delhi debacle is the bad governance in Punjab. One more reason is the Congress in Punjab is taking it for granted that they will form the next government in the state. Even the BJP has been gaining confidence that it will be able to win Punjab in 2027. So we must set our house in order. I can only tell you this. I have given the rest of the feedback to the party,” Kunwar Vijay Pratap said.

A 1998-batch IPS officer who was once the inspector-general of Punjab Police, Kunwar Vijay Pratap, the Amritsar North MLA, was among the high-profile AAP faces before its victory in the 2022 Assembly elections.

Dissatisfied with the then Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government’s stand in court over the 2015 sacrilege cases, Singh had opted for premature retirement from service soon after the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 9, 2021 quashed the probe report filed by the Special Investigation Team he had led into the Kotkapura firing case. His resignation sparked events that led to the ouster of Captain Amarinder Singh as the chief minister a few months later. Later, Singh joined AAP, and Arvind Kejriwal pushed his image to promise justice in the sacrilege cases.

After AAP’s defeat in Delhi, Singh posted on Facebook, “It is time for introspection. I was deeply saddened by AAP’s defeat in Delhi, especially the personal defeat of senior leaders, which is extremely painful. Particularly when Congress leaders are rubbing salt into the wounds. This is a clear reflection of poor governance in Punjab.”

“In cases like sacrilege and the Kotkapura-Behbal Kalan firing, the government system deliberately protected the guilty, even after the main culprit confessed his crime at Sri Akal Takht Sahib—an outcome of my investigation that proved true,” he wrote.

“There is apathy and insensitivity in government institutions towards public work, along with open corruption and exploitation of the public in districts and municipal offices,” he said, alleging that gangsters have been joining AAP and mocking honest police officers.

“These are just some examples of poor governance in Punjab that I have already highlighted, especially during my meeting with Madam Sunita Kejriwal in August. Due to my domestic circumstances—especially the sudden and untimely death of my wife—I have not been very active in politics. Yet, seeing all of this is painful. Although time has passed, introspection must be done soon. I am fully committed to strengthening the party and upholding the principles of Swaraj,” he added.