Congress’ Navjot Singh Sidhu dares Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to a debate

Alleging the 'mafia raj' in Punjab was stronger under the 'patronage' of AAP, Congress' Navjot Singh Sidhu dared CM Bhagwant Mann to debate his government’s performance. Sidhu on Saturday said that the ‘mafia raj’, which the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had promised to demolish before coming to power, had become stronger under its rule.

Sidhu further attacked the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government, accusing it of failing to implement pre-poll promises. He dared Mann to debate the state government's performance with him. 

Sidhu was released from Patiala jail last week after serving around 10 months as part of a one-year sentence in a 1988 road rage case. The former Punjab Congress chief was in Jalandhar to meet the family members of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who had died in January this year. Congress has fielded the deceased leader’s wife Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary as its candidate for the May 10 bypoll for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat. 

AAP has announced former Congress MLA Sushil Rinku as its candidate, a move which made Sidhu term the ruling party as “poachers”.

"The Mafia that has weakened Punjab over decades is now stronger, more protected, under the patronage of AAP. Those who promised to demolish it have become it's godfathers! No revenue model only borrowings and taxes driving us towards bankruptcy and government in a pitiable situation,” Sidhu tweeted. 

(Inputs from PTI)