AAP's mishandling of border state Punjab a grave security concern: Sachin Pilot

New Delhi: AICC general secretary in-charge of poll-bound Punjab, Sachin Pilot, has said that the Bhagwant Mann-headed AAP government's "administrative failures", particularly its "mishandling of the sensitive border state", is a matter of grave concern. Pilot accused the AAP government of failing to check the revival attempts by certain radical elements and added that the state ruling party's entire focus now is to somehow salvage and protect the AAP leadership.

"The AAP government has completed four-and-a-half years in power, but it has clearly failed on the administrative front and in delivering on promises. People are fed up with the AAP government's corruption, failure in maintaining law and order and controlling the drug menace. The state government's mishandling of the sensitive border state Punjab, and its failure to check radical elements' attempts to resurface is a matter of grave concern. The state government's only aim now is to protect the AAP leadership," Pilot told ET.

He also questioned AAP's credentials to fight BJP. "Almost the entire AAP Parliamentary party has already crossed over to the BJP. There is now a growing talk of an AAP-BJP deal and about more leaders jumping the ship".


Congress circles are watching whether Pilot's own experience in the factional fight in Rajasthan and his familiarity with the Punjab leaders could come in handy in dealing with the infighting in Punjab Congress. On the in-house demand for removal of PCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Pilot said, "There may be some differences but let us see how things work out. Only a few months are left for the polls and most state Congress panels are already in place."

Squabbling party leaders Warring, CS Channi and SS Randhawa and PS Bajwa have welcomed Pilot's appointment as state in-charge and held talks with him.

Maintaining that the Congress is on a comeback trail in Punjab, he said: "People of Punjab are again looking up to the Congress given our track record in governance, delivery, addressing concerns of the farming community, youth and others, and in providing development and healing touch. The Congress' priority is to re-industrialise Punjab and restore its glory".

On the possibility of the revival of the BJP-Akali Dal alliance, Pilot said: "The talk of they realigning only underscores their desperation ahead of polls."