DW BUREAU / aMRITSAR AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday praised Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu for "raising" public welfare issues but claimed that he has been facing suppression from both the present and former state chief ministers. On a two-day visit to Punjab, the Delhi chief minister also claimed that about 25 Congress MLAs and two-three MPs from the state are in touch with his party, seeking to join it, but, he said, "We do not take garbage from other parties." "I praise Sidhu for his courage," Kejriwal said, adding the Punjab Congress president had "corrected" state Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi when the latter claimed that sand was being sold to the public at Rs 5 per cubic feet. "Sidhu told the chief minister that it was still being sold at Rs 20 per cubic feet," said Aam Aadmi Party's national convenor Kejriwal. He said Sidhu has always been raising issues of public interest, but he was earlier suppressed by former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and is now being suppressed by Channi. "Sidhu has been raising people's issues, but earlier Capt Sahab and now Channi is trying to suppress him," the AAP supremo claimed. Kejriwal also hit out at Channi, who became chief minister in September after the unceremonious exit of Amarinder Singh, alleging that he has not fulfilled till now any of his promises to people, like that of giving free electricity or building mohalla clinics. On being asked about a couple of Punjab's AAP leaders joining the Congress ahead of the state assembly polls, Kejriwal shot back, "About 25 Congress MLAs and two-three of their MPs are in touch with us to join our party." "Many from the Congress are also in our contact, but we don't take their kachra (garbage). If we start taking their kachra, 25 of their MLAs will join our party by evening, but we don't have to get into this competition" Responding to questions from reporters about Navjot Singh Sidhu, Kejriwal said, "Sidhu's courage must be commended. While sitting next, when Chief Minister Channi was claiming sand and electricity to be cheaper, Navjot Singh Sidhu immediately said that Channi was lying. Sidhu is raising issues of the people but the whole Congress is suppressing him. Like Captain, now Channi Sahib is also targeting Sidhu." Where will the money come from for the announcements being made by Kejriwal? In response to this question, Kejriwal said, "Everyone is saying that the treasury is empty. For 20-25 years, the Congress-Captain and Badals-BJP ruled the state and together looted Punjab's treasury. We will do an in-depth investigation on the formation of the AAP government. Sheila Dikshit's 15-year government also emptied Delhi's coffers, but Kejriwal knows how to fill the empty coffers; because Kejriwal does not allow the mafia to get close, while Channi has sand mafia on his right and transport and liquor mafia on his left. They can only be filled by eliminating the mafia, which they (Badal-Congress) cannot do." Commenting on the announcement of the Chief Minister's face, Arvind Kejriwal said, "If any party gives the face of the Chief Minister before the elections, then the election campaign goes up. That is why the face of the Chief Minister is announced in close proximity to the Electoral Code. Even the Congress has not yet decided whether Sidhu or Randhawa or Channi Sahib will remain. The BJP also did not announce faces in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa. That is why we will also announce a face close to the code of conduct, but I must make it clear that the face of the CM in Punjab will not be Arvind Kejriwal." In response to a question, Kejriwal said, "When a person or MLA does not get a party ticket, he gets resentful. Some agree and some go to another party. Today, 25 Congress MLAs and 2 MPs are in touch with us. This is my challenge, but we do not get into such competitions. We do not believe in dirty politics nor do we collect rubbish from others." Replying to a question, Kejriwal said that it was not right to call Rs 1,000 per month to women, free education to the people, free treatment and free electricity and water; as freebies. In Western countries, it is called social security, but one thing we have decided is that the government facilities that ministers enjoy for free will be given to the general public. According to Kejriwal, the ministers and politicians have become the biggest freebies. (editor@dailyworld.in)