Akalis, Cong are 'insomniac' over rising AAP graph: Mann

Aam Aadmi Party MP and senior leader Bhagwant Mann today claimed the ruling Akali Dal and the main opposition Congress in Punjab have lost sleep over rising popularity graph of AAP as the party is set to fight 2017 polls on electoral planks like corruption, poverty, farmers suicides and bad shape of economy.
When asked that Akalis and Congress have said that AAP does not pose any threat to the two parties for the assembly polls, Mann said, "Same things were said about us even during the Delhi polls. They even dubbed us as Naxalites and said so many things. What happened later, everyone knows".

Mann said that both Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh "spoke about our party for 30 minutes in their rallies and speeches."
"If they are not scared of us, then why have they lost sleep. They are scared with AAP's rising popularity graph," he said.
Hitting out at the ruling Akalis, the comedian-turned- politician said that the party will fight the polls on electoral plank of "corruption, the issue of cable mafia, sand mafia, poverty, farmers suicides, industry shifting from here, we will go to people with these and other issues."
He also alleged that under the present state government, "an undeclared media emergency has been imposed".

"Everyone is familiar with the control the Akalis have over the cable TV industry. What is being portrayed is entirely opposite to the ground reality. We will also apprise people about what they are doing," Mann said.

When asked that SAD and Congress claim that AAP does not have any face in Punjab who was worthy being projected as CM candidate, Mann said, "AAP is not a party where face matters, we are a party of the common people. How big a face was Arvind Kejriwal when he fought Sheila Dikshit.."
Mann attacked Capt Amarinder Singh and said, "In
Parliament my performance can be checked. I am among the top four MPs who have participated in maximum debates, raised maximum questions and have highest attendance. Do we crack jokes during debates in Parliament.

"Capt Sahab (Amritsar MP) never comes to Parliament, his attendance in the last session was zero per cent. He is not discharging the responsibility entrusted upon him by the people of Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency). But he is more worried about the responsibility which people will never give him again (Chief Ministerialship of Punjab)," he said.
Claiming that Congress' defeat in the Punjab assembly polls was "inevitable", he said "Capt will be the first to make a statement after the polls, saying that we (Cong) will introspect the reasons behind defeat and he will be the first to congratulate the AAP for the victory."

Asked what is the challenge for AAP in the polls, Mann said, "Corruption, poverty and unemployment. Akali Dal and Congress are not any challenge for us."
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Meanwhile, a woman, claiming to be a victim of sexual
exploitation by a scribe, walked in AAP leader Bhagwant Mann's press conference.
The woman, with her face covered, said that she wanted to give her version and clarify certain things in connection with the case.
Making a reference of the case, Mann said that the "swift" manner in which the Punjab police had proceeded to book the journalist, they should have shown the same speed in cases like the Abohar incident involving murder of a Dalit youth.

As the woman started to speak, Mann walked out from the press conference room which was held at the Chandigarh Press Club and later chatted with the journalists outside.