- Punjab Assembly approves confidence motion for AAP government.
- Chief Minister Mann dismisses rumors of party instability.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Friday secured a decisive victory in a confidence motion in the Punjab Assembly, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserting that the outcome has put an end to speculation about instability within the party.
The motion, moved during a special one-day session, came days after a setback in the Rajya Sabha, where seven AAP members defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
‘All Speculations End’
Reacting after the vote, Mann dismissed rumours of a split within the party. “All speculations have been put to rest today regarding all those who were saying that 65 or 40 MLAs of AAP are going away,” he told ANI.
He also brushed aside the Congress’ demand for an alcohol test, taking a swipe at the opposition by saying they had “no real issues to raise”.
Mann Rejected Internal Rift
Earlier, while introducing the motion, Mann rejected claims of internal rifts, calling them misleading and aimed at creating confusion among the public. He reiterated AAP’s growing national presence, highlighting its footprint in Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat, Goa and Jammu and Kashmir.
The ruling party had issued a whip to ensure full attendance of its legislators. In the 117-member Assembly, AAP enjoys a strong majority with 94 MLAs, while the Congress holds 16 seats, the Shiromani Akali Dal three, the BJP two, the BSP one, and one seat is held by an Independent.
The confidence vote follows a political jolt on April 24, when seven of AAP’s 10 Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Harbhajan Singh, resigned and joined the BJP, alleging that the party had strayed from its core principles. Six of the defectors were from Punjab.
