Patna, May 18 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, arrived in Patna on Monday along with his family members and paid obeisance at Takht Sri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib, one of Sikhism’s holiest shrines.

During the visit, Chief Minister Mann offered prayers for the success of a special law enacted by his AAP government aimed at ensuring the security of religious sites across Punjab.

He reiterated that safeguarding the state’s religious and cultural heritage remains a top priority for him and the AAP.

Soon after arriving in Patna, the Chief Minister launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of engaging in unethical political practices.

He alleged that the BJP is attempting to poach Members of Parliament (MPs) from the AAP and engineer defections.

“This is nothing but the murder of democracy. Parties should focus on development instead of buying MPs and MLAs or breaking other parties,” CM Mann said.

He further stated that he has lodged a formal complaint with the President of India regarding the issue, terming the actions a serious threat to the country’s democratic framework.

Recently, eight Rajya Sabha MPs of the AAP joined the BJP in New Delhi.

Raghav Chhadha was one of them who was earlier considered very close to the party’s National Convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and West Bengal, CM Mann asserted that his government would not allow any irregularities in Punjab.

“We will not permit the deletion of names of genuine voters from electoral rolls in Punjab under any circumstances,” he said.

CM Mann emphasised that the rights of legitimate voters would be fully protected and warned against any attempts to manipulate the electoral process.

During his visit, the Chief Minister is also expected to participate in a series of engagements, including discussions on Punjab–Bihar relations and other contemporary political issues.

–IANS

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