In a scathing statement, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa ripped into the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for what he called “a calculated attempt to intimidate” Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu ahead of the Ludhiana West bypoll.
Bajwa exposed the Mann-led government’s desperate attempts to harass opposition leaders, followed by an embarrassing scramble to save face.
“It’s clear that the AAP government first tried to use state machinery to scare Ashu into silence,” Bajwa said. “Summons were issued to him by the Vigilance Bureau just weeks before polling—not as part of any genuine investigation, but as a crude, desperate tactic to gain political advantage.”
Bajwa questioned the intent behind the timing, calling it a “desperate, dictatorial move” and a gross misuse of power. “This is not governance; this is vendetta politics at its worst,” he said. “Bhagwant Mann seems more focused on silencing rivals than serving the people of Punjab.”
Bajwa slammed this excuse, calling it a “laughable face-saving stunt.” “What kind of circus is this? Is Bharat Bhushan Ashu running the police department now?” he asked. “This whole drama is an insult to the intelligence of Punjabis. Suspending the officer to cover up their mistake shows how far the AAP will go to deceive the public. But no one is buying their cock-and-bull story.”
He went on to say, “Punjab has never witnessed such low-grade politics, where government institutions are twisted into tools of political revenge. AAP has completely eroded the values of transparency and accountability it once pretended to stand for.”
Defending Ashu, Bajwa stated, “Bharat Bhushan Ashu is not someone who bows to threats. He is a courageous leader with the backing of the people. Ludhiana West will not be intimidated—it will fight back.”
Bajwa further reminded AAP of recent political setbacks, saying, “Punjabis have already begun rejecting AAP’s arrogance—be it in the Lok Sabha elections or the Barnala bypoll. And on June 19, Ludhiana West will deliver another loud and clear message.”