Punjab CM Mann: Next Central govt cannot be formed without AAP's support

The next government at the Centre cannot be formed without AAP's support, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday.

He claimed the INDIA bloc would win 120-125 of the 190 seats that went to the polls in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections, and expressed confidence that the opposition alliance will assume power at the Centre after the polls.

Mann also announced that on April 30, he will meet AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail, where he is lodged in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.

"AAP will be a partner in the (next) government. The next government cannot be formed without AAP's support," the Punjab CM said.

The Kejriwal-led party is a constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc. However, it is contesting the Lok Sabha polls independently in Punjab.

Addressing a gathering in Barnala in support of AAP's Sangrur candidate Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Mann said the constituency is and will always be AAP's "capital (stronghold)".

He claimed that AAP chief Kejriwal deeply cares about Sangrur and always asks about it.

"Last time I went to meet him in jail, he first asked about Sangrur. I told him the next time I come to meet him, I would tell him the ground reality. Today, seeing the enthusiasm of the people here, it is clear that we are winning Sangrur by a huge margin," Mann said.

Attacking his rival parties, Mann said the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and the Congress are not able to find candidates for Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats.