Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Sunday said the Congress has become directionless and remains consumed by internal power struggles instead of addressing the concerns of Punjab and its people. He said the ongoing infighting within the Congress has exposed the party’s complete political bankruptcy and accused the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal of joining hands to target CM Bhagwant Singh Mann because they have no answer to the unprecedented work done by the AAP government.

Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab State Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said the Congress’ internal feud is its own matter, but it reflects the party’s lack of direction. “The irony is that Congress leaders are explaining what is happening inside the BJP, while BJP leaders are speaking on Congress affairs. It is evident that both parties are working in complete coordination,” he said.

He said the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal have effectively become “Team A, B, C”, with the sole objective of targeting CM Bhagwant Singh Mann because they have no answer to the AAP government’s performance.

Taking a swipe at the BJP, Baltej Pannu said the party in Punjab has effectively become a “Congress wing.” “Most of the faces leading the BJP today are former Congress leaders. The original BJP leadership has virtually disappeared, while many more Congress leaders seem eager to join them,” he said.

Referring to senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Pannu said although Randhawa has offered a different explanation, everyone understands the political significance of the meeting. “Opposition Parties Have United Because They Cannot Counter the AAP Government’s Performance,” he added.

Baltej Pannu further added, “For the first time in decades, canal water has reached tail-end villages. Nearly 90 percent of households are receiving zero electricity bills because of 600 units of free power. Farmers are getting uninterrupted daytime electricity and canal water. More than 34 lakh women have started receiving the financial assistance promised by the AAP government, while the remaining eligible beneficiaries will receive their dues from August 1.”

He added that instead of presenting any agenda for Punjab’s progress, Congress leaders remain occupied with their internal leadership battle. “One day they say Charanjit Singh Channi is in Delhi for meetings, the next day they say Bhupesh Baghel is coming to meet Punjab Congress leaders. The entire party is waiting for directions from the high command while pretending to lecture others,” he said.

Baltej Pannu pointed to Congress leaders’ double standards, saying they repeatedly attacked AAP by claiming the party was being run from Delhi, but are now themselves waiting for every decision from their high command. “Will they now apologise for the abusive and derogatory language they used against AAP on this issue?” he asked.

He also referred to the allegations previously made by Congress leaders regarding ticket distribution and the chief minister’s post during elections and said the Congress should first explain those allegations before targeting others.

Launching a broader attack on the traditional parties, the AAP Punjab Media In-charge said the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal have no vision or roadmap for Punjab’s development. “They have no roadmap, no vision and no plan for the people. Their only agenda is Bhagwant Singh Mann. They are unable to digest the fact that the AAP government has delivered what these parties failed to do for decades,” he said.

Baltej Pannu said these parties never wanted the people of Punjab to receive 600 units of free electricity, canal water for farmers, cashless healthcare worth up to ₹10 lakh, or financial assistance for women. “Had the AAP government not come to power in 2022, these parties would have continued pushing Punjab backwards,” he added.

Concluding his address, Baltej Pannu said political bargaining between the Congress and the BJP is already underway in Punjab. “Many Congress leaders are preparing to join the BJP’s Congress wing. The people of Punjab are watching everything and will reject this opportunistic politics,” he said.

Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) is redrawing the healthcare map of the state. According to the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, Patiala has emerged as the top district in adoption and utilisation of the scheme, recording the highest number of patients and expenditure under the programme. Across Punjab, over 443,906 patients have benefited, with a total expenditure crossing ₹782.79 crore.

The Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, designed to provide cashless treatment in government and empanelled private hospitals, has become one of the state’s most visible welfare interventions. And as per the latest SHA Punjab data, as on 23 June, the numbers tell a story of scale and transformation.

At the top of the chart sits Patiala, recording 52,672 patients with a total treatment expenditure of nearly ₹79.15 crore. Close behind is Bathinda, with 30,813 patients and an expenditure of ₹76.81 crore, while Ludhiana follows with 44,227 patients and ₹60.54 crore expenditure. In terms of utilisation, Patiala’s lead suggests stronger hospital linkages and higher scheme awareness among beneficiaries.

In a statement, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh stated, “It is a shift from out-of-pocket struggle to structured care,” he said, speaking on the scheme’s impact. He opined, “Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is not merely a policy on paper; it is a lifeline for families who once feared hospital bills more than illness itself.”

Throughout Punjab, the scheme’s footprint is wide. Districts such as Jalandhar (27,682 patients), Amritsar (20,503) and S.A.S Nagar (20,085) show strong uptake, while smaller districts like Kapurthala (9,384) and Malerkotla (3,181) reflect the growing penetration of the programme.

The SHA data records 443,906 patients across the state, with total expenditure standing at ₹782.79 crore. Dr Balbir Singh emphasised this reach and said, “Our aim is simple, no family in Punjab should be pushed into poverty because of illness. The scheme is expanding its reach every quarter.”

In rural pockets, the scheme is being spoken about in everyday terms rather than policy language. Gurmeet Singh, a 62-year-old farmer from Mansa said, “If this scheme wasn’t there, I would have sold land for treatment.” Such testimonies echo across districts like Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, and Ferozepur, where hospital admissions under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana continue to climb.

Even districts with moderate numbers, such as Gurdaspur and Rupnagar, show steady adoption, suggesting that awareness and hospital empanelment are beginning to take hold.