The ruling Aam Aadmi Party called the governor’s decision “murder of democracy”.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit withdrew his earlier order of summoning the special session of the Punjab Assembly on September 22 while acting on a legal advice.

Bhagwant Mann said that the governor not allowing the assembly to run raises big questions on democracy.

AAP leaders have been complaining of poaching attempts by the BJP to topple the government in Punjab, as part of what AAP and other Opposition parties claim to be BJP’s “Operation Lotus”. The AAP leadership wanted to prove that their house was intact, through a confidence motion in the assembly.