CHANDIGARH: Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday lambasted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for squandering state's exchequer at the comfort of the party leadership by hiring an aircraft for electioneering.
Bajwa said the AAP government in its 19-month regime had spent around Rs 50 crore to transport the AAP's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on aircraft to poll-bound states.
"The AAP government hired a fixed-wing plane only for the party expansion and transporting the Delhi CM to the election rallies. In the two-day election rallies in Gujarat, the Punjab government spent around Rs 45 lakh on a private aircraft," Bajwa said in a statement.
He said the government already has a helicopter. Besides, it has also hired a fixed-wing aircraft.
"It is notable the annual aircraft expenditure of previous governments in Punjab was from Rs 7-8 crore."
The Congress legislator said the government has recently taken a debt of Rs 1,950 crore.
"The government has been shamelessly taking loans and then recklessly spending on their masters.
"The debt burden of the state has already crossed the Rs 3 lakh crore mark in 2022-23. It is expected to increase to Rs 3,47,542.39 crore by the end of this fiscal. Punjab's economy is bleeding. In the given situation, how wise is the decision of the AAP government to rent an aircraft," Bajwa added.