Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday targeted the BJP over alleged attempts to poach leaders and raised serious concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He claimed that efforts were being made to manipulate voter lists.
Speaking in Patna, Mann said the BJP should concentrate on governance at the national level instead of encouraging defections and expanding its organisation through political shifts.
"Instead of poaching MLAs from other parties, the BJP should focus on running the country. The SIR exercise will begin on June 15. They try to convert genuine votes into fake ones, but we will not allow this to happen in Punjab," the Chief Minister said.
His comments come amid rising political conflicts in Punjab over the upcoming SIR Phase-III exercise declared by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The exercise will cover 16 states and three Union Territories and is expected to involve more than 36 crore electors in phases.
According to the Election Commission schedule, preparatory work in Punjab will start on June 15. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct visits between June 25 and July 24, and the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on October 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, several political leaders in Punjab have switched parties in the past few weeks. Among them, Gyan Singh Mann, cousin of the Chief Minister, joined the BJP on May 11 in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar. Earlier, leaders, including MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal had also distanced themselves from AAP and joined the BJP.
Mann also sought greater transparency from the Union government and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make public details about national reserves.
"The Prime Minister should disclose the current reserves of gold, petrol, and LPG so that citizens know the country’s actual position," he added.
His comments come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal asking people to reduce fuel consumption, adopt sustainable habits, and support economic resilience amid global uncertainties connected to the West Asia conflict.
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