AAP collecting waste from all parties: Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was just collecting waste (leaders) from other parties and was trying to use Punjab as a battleground to expand its base in other states.

"The AAP is just doing solid waste management. It has collected the waste of all parties. All the waste has come to "Kejriwal dumpyard", Sukhbir told media here.

Accusing the AAP leadership, and particularly its national convener Arvind Kejriwal, of trying to mislead people in Punjab, Sukhbir said: "Kejriwal is an agitationist. He does not have development in his mind. He has nothing to show in name of work in Delhi. Has not kept any portfolio and does not take any responsibility.

"Kejriwal is just a municipal committee president in Delhi. Nothing more. By coming to Punjab, he wants to become a national leader and fight with Prime Minister Modi. His main focus is other states like Gujarat, Goa and Madhya Pradesh. He wants to just make Punjab a battleground."

Terming the AAP leadership as "atheists", Sukhbir alleged that AAP leaders were behind incidents of sacrilege of holy books of other religions.

Referring to Kejriwal's announcement that Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib would be made holy cities, Sukhbir said that the AAP leader had no inkling about Punjab.

"Amritsar is already notified holy city. Kejriwal does not know about Punjab. He is so cut off from Punjab that he does not know that Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Anandpur Sahib, Damdama Sahib are all holy places," he said.

He accused AAP leaders of entering holy places in a drunken condition.

"He (Kejriwal) should first make his party holy. He should stop the drinking habit of its main leaders, like (Bhagwant) Mann, than making other places holy," Sukhbir said.

Asked about new political fronts being formed in Punjab ahead of assembly elections early next year, Sukhbir said: "I think that all prospective chief ministers should come (in the fray) by setting up their respective parties. People will decide whom they want to elect."

"Kejriwal should get his voter card made in Punjab as we (Akali Dal) are not going anywhere for 25 years," Sukhbir said while reacting to Kejriwal's comment that he will not leave Punjab till the AAP uproots the Akali Dal.

--IANS

js/ahm/bg