Manoranjan Kalia criticises Aam Aadmi Party for unfulfilled promises and appointment of outsiders.
Ludhiana: Senior
leader Manoranjan Kalia on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the
(AAP), accusing it of betraying its 2022 poll promises and advancing the political ambitions of Delhi Chief Minister
at Punjab's expense.
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Speaking at a press conference, the former Punjab cabinet minister took aim at what he described as AAP's failure to deliver on its lofty revenue claims. "Kejriwal had promised ₹54,000 crore without burdening the public—₹20,000 crore from sand mining and ₹34,000 crore by eliminating corruption. None of that materialised," Kalia said. Kalia also questioned the motives behind AAP nominating sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as its candidate for the upcoming Ludhiana West bypoll, alleging a larger scheme to vacate a seat for Kejriwal himself.
"The public must ask why a Rajya Sabha member is contesting an Assembly seat. Is it to make way for Kejriwal in the upper house?" he asked.
Further sharpening his critique, Kalia accused the AAP government of sidelining local talent by appointing "outsiders" to key posts. He cited the appointments of Reena Gupta as chairperson of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Deepak Chauhan to the Large Scale Industries Board, Prabhvir Brar to Punsup, and Shalin Mitra as OSD to the health minister.
"This sends a dangerous message—that Punjabis are not capable of handling their own state's institutions," he said.
In a direct attack on Arora, Kalia alleged that the AAP candidate's company misused 43 acres of land allocated at subsidised rates for industrial development by repurposing it for residential and commercial use. "Land acquired for one purpose cannot be diverted. This is a clear violation," he said.
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When asked whether the land-use changes took place during the previous Congress regime, Kalia maintained that the issue transcends party lines.
"The AAP government was elected on an anti-corruption plank. If they were serious, they would have taken action. Instead, they rewarded Arora with a Rajya Sabha seat and now want him in the Cabinet." The remarks set the tone for an increasingly combative contest in Ludhiana West, as the BJP positions itself as a watchdog over AAP's governance record and alleged cronyism.
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