Trouble seems to have mounted for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab after Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa claimed that at least 32 MLAs of the ruling party were in touch with him to switch sides.
Bajwa also claimed that some other AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, were in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"When (Arvind) Kejriwal decides to remove him, he (Mann) will pack his bags and join them (BJP)," he said while talking to reporters outside state assembly.
The AAP rubbished his claims with party state president and cabinet minister Aman Arora alleging that it was the leader of the opposition who would join the BJP.
Bajwa, however, asserted that Arora was aware of these developments.
"I am saying this again. 32 MLAs are in touch with me. Not only MLAs, but even ministers are in touch with me. Aman Arora is also aware of this matter," he said.
In the 177-member house, the AAP has 93 seats while the Congress has 16.
The Congress leader claimed that the AAP MLAs, knowing this is their last term, are looking for new parties to get tickets.
Bajwa, however, added that the Congress party would not be responsible for bringing down the state government.
"We have made it very much clear that the Congress under no circumstances will destabilise this government. It is the BJP who will do it," he said in an interview to NDTV.
Hitting back at Bajwa, Arora said it was the leader of the opposition who would join the BJP first.
He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should ask Bajwa what he was doing in Bengaluru a few days ago and which senior BJP leaders he met.