‘We didn’t get a penny’: AAP justifies Bhagwant Mann skipping PM Modi’s event

5 min readChandigarhJul 18, 2026 02:10 PM IST

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann did not attend the function on Friday where PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantt railway station and laid the foundation stone of rail and road projects. (File Photos)

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s decision to stay away from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s function at Jalandhar on Friday has once again brought the widening political distance between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the BJP-led Centre. While the BJP termed it “a missed opportunity’, AAP questioned what the state had actually gained from his visit.

Mann’s decision has also revived an old question: do political differences prevent a CM from engaging with the PM when the state is seeking central aid? Punjab has been pressing for the release of more than Rs 10,000 crore under the Rural Development Fund, repeatedly flagging pending compensation after last year’s floods, and complaining that several financial demands remain unanswered.

Against this backdrop, Mann chose not to attend the function where Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantt railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, flagged off the Sant Ravidas Express connecting Chheharta and Varanasi, and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of rail and road projects worth over Rs 5,470 crore. Though invited, Mann only received Modi at Rajindra Park in Chandigarh before he left for Jalandhar.

Mann should have had the courage: Jakhar

Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Kumar Jakhar said Mann should have used the occasion to place the state’s demands before Modi, instead of limiting communication to letters. “It is most unfortunate that the CM cannot face the truth. He should have come. He should have had the courage to be a part of the function where the Prime Minister of the country was presiding for the sake of the state. What is the fun in writing letters with a long charter of demands for the PM? When he was here, the CM should have ensured his presence. But they cannot face the truth. There is fear of confronting and accepting their flaws,” Jakhar said.

Jakhar also recalled an episode from the UPA years to underline his point. He said that soon after he became the Leader of the Opposition in 2012, then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at Punjab Raj Bhavan when Shivraj Patil was the governor. Manmohan Singh was visiting Chandigarh then. Despite heading rival political dispensations, Badal sought financial assistance for Punjab’s waterlogged areas and the Centre sanctioned around Rs 2,500 crore. “What was the problem if the CM had gone?” Jakhar asked.

‘Why can’t Centre release our funds?’

The AAP, however, said the decision was justified. Party leaders say they had anticipated that PM Modi would use the government function to launch a political attack on the Punjab government. Their assessment appeared to come true as Modi accused the AAP government of failing on law and order, gangsters and governance, called it a “kattar beimaan (utterly dishonest)” party and urged people to elect a double-engine government in Punjab.

AAP leaders argued that had Mann been present on the stage, he would have had to sit through a speech attacking his own government. The party also insisted that the real issue is not whether Mann attended the event but whether Punjab’s pending demands found any mention.

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Finance Minister Harpal Cheema questioned what the state had actually gained from PM Modi’s visit. “What did the PM announce? He only announced the projects that the Ministry of Railways is taking up. What does this mean? The Prime Minister knows what the state needs. The demands have been put forth on so many platforms. Why don’t they give our Rural Development Fund worth over Rs 10,000 crore? What is stopping them? He came during the floods last year and made announcements. What happened after that? We did not receive a single penny,” Cheema told The Indian Express.

After floods ravaged Punjab last year, Mann had sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to press for financial assistance, but the meeting did not materialise. Since then, the AAP has repeatedly accused the Centre of withholding Punjab’s dues while the BJP has maintained that the Centre has continued to support the state through various schemes.

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India.

Professional Background

Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state.

Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions.

Special Projects:

Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship.

Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government:

1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs

"Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA.

"Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor.

"Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas.

2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls

"Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections.

"AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections.

"Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership.

3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy

"Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government.

"Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP.

4. Welfare & Economy

"Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program.

"Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025).

Signature Beat

Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens.

X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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Aam Aadmi Party AAP

Bhagwant Mann

Narendra Modi

Punjab BJP

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