Union Minister Harsh Malhotra on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing them of never engaging in positive politics. His remarks came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, along with AAP MLAs and ministers, met party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the wake of the party’s crushing defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections.
“They have never done positive politics. The situation in Punjab is much worse than in Delhi. They (AAP) are looting the people of Punjab also,” Malhotra stated, criticizing AAP’s governance in the state.
The BJP secured a historic victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, winning 48 seats and marking its return to power in the national capital after 27 years. The AAP, which had won 62 seats in the 2020 elections, saw a massive downfall, managing to secure only 22 seats this time. Meanwhile, the Congress continued its decline, failing to win a single seat for the third consecutive election.
Following the dismal poll performance, Kejriwal met AAP’s Punjab leadership in Delhi. After the meeting, Bhagwant Mann claimed that Kejriwal had thanked the MLAs for their contribution to the campaign. However, the meeting has fueled speculation about internal discord within the party.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale took a dig at Kejriwal, stating that AAP’s defeat in Delhi was a massive setback and warning that Punjab could soon slip away from the party’s control.
Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Kejriwal’s urgent meeting with party MLAs was a sign of an imminent split within AAP.
Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal further criticized AAP, alleging that “some people” within the party consider Punjab as their “personal ATM.”