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New Delhi [India], April 25 (ANI): Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney, who recently quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Saturday said dialogue and cooperation between the Centre and the state are essential to address Punjab's multiple challenges.
Speaking to ANI, Sahney said meaningful engagement with the Union government was necessary to solve Punjab's crises and concerns, as it cannot be solved through protests and confrontation.
"The BJP is capable of doing much, but dialogue is the only way forward. Punjab's crises, whether farmers' issues or environmental concerns, cannot be solved through constant protests and confrontation. We must create an atmosphere where the Centre extends a hand to struggling Punjab," he said.
He added that several issues concerning Punjab had been raised in Parliament, and assurances were received from Union leaders regarding the protection of the state's interests.
Explaining his decision to leave AAP and merge with the BJP, Sahney said the move was driven by concerns over Punjab's worsening socio-economic situation.
"We took this decision seeing the crisis in Punjab. There is an agrarian crisis, plight of farmers is deplorable. The groundwater level there is dropping. Punjab has a debt of Rs 4,50,000 crore. Freebies and subsidies are at their peak. There are no jobs in Punjab. When people don't get jobs, the youth fall prey to drug addiction. Punjab is in the ICU. Industries are moving out," he said.
Responding to questions about ideological differences within AAP, Sahney said the issue was not ideology but governance outcomes and development priorities.
"It's not about ideology, it's about working style. The party was built well, professionals were brought in, and I appreciate that. But the real question is governance -- what narrative do we set for Punjab, how much progress have we made in four years?" he said.
Rejecting claims that the BJP or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) does not recognise Sikh concerns, Sahney termed such claims baseless and emphasised the unity between Hindu and Sikh communities in Punjab.
"False claims that the BJP or RSS don't recognise Sikhs are baseless. Amit Shah himself has visited gurdwaras, done seva, and shown respect. Hindu-Sikh unity in Punjab is deep, rooted in family and tradition. Our ideology is not division, it is unity in diversity," he added.
These remarks come after the trio of MPs--Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal--parted ways with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday and subsequently joined the BJP in the presence of party leadership.
Addressing a presser in the national capital, Chadha informed that Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal have also switched to the BJP.
Raghav Chadha said that they have informed the Chairman of the House, in accordance with the rules, of leaving the party. He formalised a split that had been building for weeks, announcing that two-thirds of the party's Upper House members would merge with the BJP. (ANI)