Raghav Chadha claims four Punjab ministers wanted to join AAP but were refused, Channi hits back

Chandigarh, December 13

AAP leader Raghav Chadha on Monday claimed four Punjab ministers who are facing allegations of illegal sand mining wanted to join his party but were refused for being “corrupt”, a claim Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi dismissed as “lies”.

Channi accused the Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab co-incharge of spreading rumours and asked the party to desist from “mouthing lies in order to create unnecessary hype”.

Addressing an online press conference, Chadha claimed, “Four ministers of the Channi government have been constantly approaching us to join the AAP after quitting the Congress.”                  

Without naming the four ministers, he alleged that these ministers have been facing serious allegations of illegal sand mining for a long time.

He said that the AAP is an honest party and “we do not want such people in our party. There is no place for such corrupt people in our party”.       

AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a tweet on Monday said that his party would never bring corrupt people into its fold.

“Aam Aadmi Party is going to form the government in Punjab after a few months. That is why many leaders from other parties are approaching to join the Aam Aadmi Party. But we will never take corrupt and criminal leaders under any circumstances. We will give a clean and honest government in Punjab,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

AAP MP and Punjab state president Bhagwant Mann said, “Congress government is about to go. Only one month is left. That is why many of their big leaders are looting Punjab. We will not bring any dishonest leader in our party.”                  

Interacting with the media in Kharar, Chief Minister Channi attacked Chadha for “spreading false rumours” and warned the party to “desist from mouthing lies in order to create unnecessary hype”.

“The AAP only wants to create its nuisance value by indulging in misleading and malicious talk but these tactics would backfire,” the chief minister said.

Assembly polls in Punjab are due early next year. —PTI