‘So-called aam aadmi’: Cong leader’s swipe at Bhagwant Mann over 42-car convoy

Punjab Congress’ Partap Singh Bajwa tore into chief minister Bhagwant Mann Friday over ‘VIP culture’ claims after a reply to a RTI query said the Aam Aadmi Party leader had 42 vehicles in his convoy when travelling; a screenshot of the RTI response indicated Mann had more vehicles than three of his predecessors.

“Shocking revelation…” Bajwa tweeted, “Badal had 33 vehicles when he was CM from 2007-17 in his cavalcade… no change when Captain Amarinder S became CM but it has been revealed through RTI that CM Mann – ‘the so called Aam Aadmi’ – has 42 cars in his cavalcade.”

“In the past Mr Mann used to question what ‘kings and maharajas’ do with convoy of so many vehicles? Will CM Mann himself clarify now what he is doing with the convoy of 42 vehicles?”

The RTI reply was provided by the state’s transport commissioner and covered the period from March 2007 to September.

It showed that Charanjit Channi – who replaced Amarinder Singh as the Congress chief minister – added six cars for a convoy of 39 vehicles.

Partap Bajwa is the Leader of the Opposition in Punjab, where the AAP routed the Congress after the February election; the party won 92 of 117 seats.

The AAP has not yet responded to the Congress’ jab.

Meanwhile, on Thursday Bajwa’s motion to censure Mann – over the chief minister’s conduct during the September 27 Assembly session – was rejected.