'Ek thi Congress': AAP's Bhagwant Mann narrates 'shortest story' in Delhi, Punjab

livemint.com:

Bhagwant Mann took a swipe at opposition INDIA bloc ally Congress, calling them the ‘shortest story’ in Delhi and Punjab. The swipe seemed to hint at yet another roadblock ahead of seat-sharing talks with Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Addressing the public in Chandigarh, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said, “...The shortest story a mother in Delhi or Punjab, can narrate to her child is 'Ek thi Congress'..." In September 2023, Punjab Congress leaders had vehemently opposed any move to forge a tie-up With AAP for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

There are a total 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab, besides Chandigarh. Currently, the Congress has six members of Parliament (MP) from Punjab. In October 2023, Leader of the Opposition in Punjab and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa told had said that an alliance with Congress would mean “signing a death warrant", according to a News18 report.

“And we do not want to demolish the Congress," Bajwa added. Bajwa went on to say the AAP government in the state would soon be toppled by the Congress. “If we get 10-11 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab (there are 13 seats), we can topple the AAP government.

Many AAP MLAs are in touch with us. Whenever we get a chance, we will topple them. If most MLAs of AAP want to come over and don’t want to stay with them, what can I do? Who can save a failed marriage?" Bajwa had told News18.