Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday (May 8, 2026) launched a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab, saying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made the situation in the State “even worse” than what it was in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee.
He was also unsparing in his attack on the Congress on many issues and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the country for labelling the BJP government in Haryana as ‘ghuspethiya‘ (infiltrator) after levelling ‘vote chori’ allegations.
Targeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, he said, “What is Mamata Banerjee saying that she will not step down, if that chair is so dear to her she can take it home. But people have given the mandate to the BJP and she should respect that mandate, respect democracy. But she is not doing that”.
“When they [TMC] were in power they did not see what they were doing. How people were killed and even FIRs were not registered in West Bengal, such was the situation. How happy people there are now that the TMC rule has ended,” Mr. Saini said at a news conference where he disbursed financial benefits under various schemes to the beneficiaries.
Taking on the AAP dispensation in Punjab, Mr. Saini alleged that they are busy in corruption and people are fed up while industrialists are shifting.
“When the AAP came to power, they said they will finish the drug problem. However, those in drug trade are getting patronage,” he alleged.
He claimed that a person form Punjab told him that when he complained about a particular individual who was selling drugs, a case was slapped against the complainant.
“This is the situation in Punjab, it is very horrific. They have made the situation in Punjab even worse than West Bengal. People of Punjab are fed up and they want to form a double-engine government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Targeting the Congress, Mr. Saini said they keep looking for issues and when they find nothing they raise the bogey of ‘vote chori’.
Mr. Gandhi on Wednesday (May 6, 2026) alleged that every sixth BJP MP in the Lok Sabha secured his or her seat through ‘vote chori’ and asked if they should be labelled ‘ghuspethiya‘ in that party’s own parlance.
The Congress leader also claimed that the BJP would not be able to win even 140 seats today in the Lok Sabha if fair elections are held.
“….Should we, in the BJP’s own parlance, label them ‘ghuspethiya‘? And what of Haryana? There, the entire government itself is an ‘ghuspethiya‘,” Mr. Gandhi had said in a post on X.
Hitting back at the former Congress chief, Mr. Saini said, “What kind of language is Rahul Gandhi speaking and saying that the entire government is an ‘ghuspethiya’. He should know it was Prime Minister Modi who stopped the infiltrators. How many infiltrators used to come during their government’s time and even kill our countrymen. Does Rahul not remember that time?…He [Rahul Gandhi] should apologise to the country, he is insulting democracy,” Mr. Saini said.
The Chief Minister also claimed that the AAP and the Congress have a tacit understanding.
“They sit together during the night and make planning to abuse Modi ji during the day. If Modi ji has done anything wrong, they should tell. The Prime Minister is working to empower the poor, strengthen the country. Today, India is seen as a strong country and is seen with great respect at the global stage,” he said.
Mr. Saini said what was the situation during the Congress’ time when they ruled at the Centre, “so much corruption prevailed in various spheres”.
The Chief Minister also took on Bhagwant Mann for blaming the BJP for the twin blasts in the AAP-ruled State.
“To hide their own failures, they are levelling such allegations. The matter concerns nation’s security. The Punjab DGP is talking about the ISI connection in these blasts, but Mr. Mann wants to grind his political axe,” he said.
“Earlier Arvind Kejriwal [as Delhi CM] used to crib that police [in Delhi] is not under him, now why are not able to set right the things in Punjab. It is because the AAP neither has the policy nor the intent to do so,” Mr. Saini said. “The AAP gave the slogan of ‘Rangla Punjab’, but made it ‘Kangla Punjab’,” he said.
“On seven Rajya Sabha MPs quitting the AAP and joining the BJP,” he said, “all don’t toe the AAP line to oppose even when good things are done by the Centre and take the step acting as per their inner conscience”.
Mr. Saini said, “the case of these MPs was not the first one as many other leaders have earlier left the AAP”.
He said the AAP made tall promises to farmers and other sections in Punjab, but even at the fag end of their tenure these had not been fulfilled.
Responding to a question, Mr. Saini defended his frequent visits to Punjab, saying people of the State keep calling him for various programmes and he also goes to the neighbouring State when the party assigns him any duty.
Published – May 08, 2026 05:39 pm IST
