In Punjab Assembly, Bhagwant Mann takes swipe at ally Congress; says 'party is like old model of Fiat car'

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday likened the Congress to an "old model of Fiat car" even as he took potshots at party leader Rahul Gandhi, stating that he was "wandering" in Chhattisgarh when the Parliament's budget session was going on.

Taking part in the discussion on the governor's address on the second day of the budget session, Mann slammed the Punjab Congress members for disrupting the governor's address on March 1.

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- which are part of the INDIA block -- are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance except Punjab.

Talking about Gandhi, the chief minister said the senior Congress leader was busy with his yatra in Chhattisgarh when the budget session of the Parliament was going on.

"The budget session was going on and the PM was also to speak. But their (Congress) main speaker was wandering in the jungles of Chhattisgarh. Do not know which yatra he was taking out?" said Mann.

Referring to Gandhi's last year 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Mann said the party leaders had sought security during the yatra which was passing through Punjab.

The chief minister said he assured them that adequate security would be provided.

"When I asked them what the criteria would be and how much security was needed. They said there is only one criteria and that is that the common man should not come close to Rahul Gandhi," claimed Mann.

"If you do not want a common man coming close to you then why are you here," he asked apparently pressing the point that the Congress was least bothered about a common man.

Further taking a swipe at the grand old party, Mann said the Congress, which ruled the country for 60 years, "neither had any MLA nor MP during 2015 to 2020".

"They became arrogant when they ruled Delhi for 15 years," he said.

"Now they are pleading for giving two to three seats (seat-sharing in Delhi) and asking us to take seats in Gujarat," he said.

Mann also stated that 15 days back, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav told him that the Congress has become "updated".

He said Yadav told him that the Congress demanded one seat in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress named a candidate who was to be fielded from that seat but he had died nine-and a half-years ago, Mann said referring to what Yadav told him.

"This much they are updated," Mann said about the Congress.

In reality, the Congress is like an "old model of a Fiat car" which cannot be updated, he said.