In a statement that left many in shock, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi’s education minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday urged the Punjab voters to cast their ballot for the party keeping in mind that Arvind Kejriwal will be the party’s chief ministerial candidate.
While addressing a public rally in Mohali ahead of assembly polls, Sisodia said: “Vote in Punjab as if you are voting for Arvind Kejriwal.”
Sisodia’s this announcement led to immediate speculations of Kejriwal dumping Delhi for Punjab.
“Let the time come. All I can say is that the new chief minister of Punjab will be an aam aadmi,” Sisodia asserted.
Soon after Sisodia’s statement, Punjab’s current deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal took to Twitter to share his reaction and wrote:
“By asking people to vote for @ArvindKejriwal as CM of Pb (Punjab), Manish Sisodia has exposed their plan. AAP has proven it does not trust Punjabis,” Jr Badal tweeted.
Earlier, The Election Commission of India had declared that polling will be held in Punjab in a single phase on February 4, 2017.
Results will be declared on March 11, 2017.
The ruling SAD-BJP government, led by Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, will face voters five years after coming back to power in 2012.
Meanwhile, Congress party is all set to announce his final list of candidates later in the day.
The Aam Aadmi Party has so far declared candidates for 91 seats out of the total 117.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had declared names of 69 contestants in its first list.
