Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann slams Raghav Chadha as 'compromised'

As the feud between MP Raghav Chadha and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came out in the open, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday slammed the former and said he believes Chadha is "compromised", pointing out that he has gone against the party whip.

Mann said that Chadha broke the party line and went against the party whip as he was unwilling to speak on issues like the "deletion" of votes in West Bengal, stage a walkout from Parliament on important issues or raise a voice against the arrest of several AAP volunteers and leaders in Gujarat.

At a news conference here, Mann was responding to questions about AAP MP Raghav Chadha, who said that he has been "silenced, not defeated", a day after being removed as the party's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.

Hitting back at Chadha, the AAP on Friday accused him of shying away from raising issues against the Centre in Parliament and instead engaging in "soft PR".

Criticising Chadha, AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda questioned whether someone who "fears" Prime Minister Narendra Modi can fight for the country.

Upon being asked if he believes Chadha is "compromised," Mann replied, "Yes." Mann said it is not uncommon for parties to change their leaders in Parliament.

About Chadha being removed as the party's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Mann said, "When I won elections for the first time (in 2014 from Sangrur Lok Sabha), Dr (Dharamvira) Gandhi (the then AAP MP who is now with the Congress) was made leader of the party's parliamentary board. Later, I also served in this capacity. So, the party keeps taking such decisions." To another question, Mann said, "When we sit as opposition members in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, many decisions are taken collectively, like staging a walkout. But if anyone breaks the party line or does not obey, then it is against the whip. If you go against the party whip, then action will be taken".

On Chadha's remark about being "silenced", Mann said, "If there is a party line taken on any issue, like in Gujarat where cases have been registered against 160 AAP volunteers and leaders and if we have to speak on it, there are issues like MSP, GST and other issues, but if instead of speaking on those, someone raises issues of samosa rates, pizza delivery, won't you doubt that the person (Chadha) is speaking from some other station?" To another query, Mann said they will raise a strong objection with the Gujarat chief minister over the arrest of AAP volunteers.

He said, "They have been arrested in false cases, and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter. When the Gujarat chief minister gives time to meet, we will go and raise a strong objection."

(With PTI inputs)