New Delhi:
Politics took a (brief) backseat on Friday when Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann playfully took a swipe at Aam Aadmi Party colleague Raghav Chadha, who is getting married to actor Parineeti Chopra later this month.
Mr Mann chuckled at a meeting of industry leaders in Ludhiana that Mr Chadha’s ‘list of responsibilities’ was about to expand. He encouraged everyone to applaud the Rajya Sabha MP and congratulated the groom-to-be.
Mr Chadha later shared photos from the event – which was also attended by AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – but his comments stayed to the point; “The AAP government in Punjab, led by Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, is actively working to create a pro-industry and pro-business environment in the state,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He also shared a list of ‘ten key initiatives’ of the Mann government and announcements specific to Amritsar and Jalandhar, including a Unity Mall project worth Rs 210 crore in the former and infrastructure investments worth Rs 50 crore in the latter .
The AAP government in Punjab, led by @ArvindKejriwal And @BhagwantMann, is actively working to create a pro-industry and pro-business environment in the state. We have introduced a range of reforms and initiatives to address the long-standing issues facing… pic.twitter.com/OhJH5imKzL
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 14, 2023
Mr Chadha was in a more combative mood as he discussed the political row caused by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comments on Sanatan Dharm – comments that the Bharatiya Janata Party hit on for shattering the opposition’s INDIA alliance , of which both the AAP and Mr Stalin’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam are members.
He condemned his ally’s comment, calling it a “little” statement. “The Alliance was formed to address major issues such as price hikes and unemployment… a statement from a small leader, from one district in a state, is not the official position of the Alliance.”
READ | “A small leader”: AAP’s Raghav Chadha on DMK leader’s ‘Sanatana’ comment
Mr Stalin is the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and the grandson of late former Prime Minister MK Karunanidhi, who is still regarded as one of the state’s greatest political leaders.
Raghav Chadha is expected to marry Ms Chopra at a private event in Rajasthan, which will be attended by top figures from politics, Bollywood and beyond, according to a report by Hindustan Times.