Chandigarh, May 24 (IANS) Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar on Sunday warned the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government against using any illegal means to win the local body elections, saying the state would no longer bow to AAP’s fear and pressure tactics.

He said statements being made by AAP MLAs and leaders about shutting polling booth doors and capturing booths to win elections reflected the desperation of the government.

He said such remarks amounted to AAP admitting defeat in advance. According to him, these statements show that the party has accepted that after four-and-a-half years of “misgovernance” no one is willing to vote for AAP candidates anymore, which is why they are talking about undemocratic methods to “loot” elections.

The BJP leader told the media here that instead of burdening Punjab with a debt of over Rs 2.25 lakh crore and wasting the state’s earnings over the past four-and-a-half years, the money should have been spent on state’s development. Jakhar alleged that under the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, corruption, “goonda raj”, and drug abuse had reached alarming levels, making people feel insecure.

He said the public had now firmly decided that the next government in Punjab would be formed by the BJP. In this context, he appealed to voters to reject “vote-cutting parties” in the local body elections and unite behind the BJP for a better future for Punjab.

Jakhar also issued a warning to AAP leaders allegedly talking about shutting polling booth doors, saying that the people of Punjab would instead “shut their doors”.

He claimed the Mann government had only a few months left because Assembly elections could be held earlier than expected in view of the upcoming Census process.

He urged CM Mann to “read the writing on the wall” and uphold democratic norms. He said the people of Punjab had given AAP an opportunity, but the government had failed to resolve basic public issues.

According to him, people now wanted security, peace, and communal harmony, and were, therefore, moving towards the BJP. Jakhar further said the Congress had now been reduced to a “vote-cutting party.” He accused Congress leaders of surrendering before AAP and ignoring public concerns.

–IANS

vg/pgh