Bhagwant Mann moves confidence motion in Punjab Assembly, slams Congress for supporting BJP's 'Operation Lotus'

"Three crore people of Punjab have faith in us," the Aam Aadmi Party leader said after moving a confidence motion in the state Assembly.

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday (September 27, 2022) moved a confidence motion in the state assembly and slammed Opposition Congress for supporting Bharatiya Janata Party's "Operation Lotus". 

"Three crore people of Punjab have faith in us," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said after moving a confidence motion in the state Assembly.

"I have full faith in my 91 soldiers (AAP MLAs)," he added.

The CM tabled the motion of confidence, but two BJP MLAs -- Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan -- had earlier walked out of the House after Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan announced that Mann would move the confidence motion.

"Congress supporting "Operation Lotus", its MLAs ran away from discussion," the Punjab CM alleged.

He added that the grand old party is in such a situation that nobody wants to take over as its president.

Mann also hit out at the saffron party and said that it feels only they should be in power everywhere.

ਲੋਕਤੰਤਰ ‘ਚ ਲੋਕ ਵੱਡੇ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਨੇ ਤੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਤਾਕਤ ਤੋਂ ਉੱਤੇ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦਾ... ਅੱਜ ਵਿਧਾਨਸਭਾ ਇਜਲਾਸ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ ਮਤਾ ਰੱਖ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਲੋਕਤੰਤਰ ਦੇ ਕਾਤਲ ਬੇਨਕਾਬ ਹੋਣ... https://t.co/uOg0sT0MJV — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 27, 2022

Arvind Kejriwal's AAP had recently claimed that at least 10 of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore to each of them in a bid to topple the six-month-old government under its "Operation Lotus".

The AAP government in Punjab had earlier sought the special session on September 22 to bring a confidence motion, days after it accused the BJP of trying to topple its government. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, however, withdrew the permission to hold a special session on September 22 when the AAP government wanted to bring "only a confidence motion".

On Sunday, Purohit then approved the state government's request to convene the House on September 27 after it informed him that issues like stubble burning, Goods and Services Tax and power supply will be taken up during the one-day session of the assembly. 

(With agency inputs)