New Delhi: The confrontation between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the governor in Punjab escalated further on Saturday, September 24, with the latter writing to chief minister Bhagwant Mann to “remind” him of his duties, saying his legal advisors were not adequately briefing him.The row between Raj Bhavan and the AAP government had intensified on Friday after the governor sought a list on the legislative business to be taken up in the proposed assembly session on Tuesday, September 27, evoking a strong reaction from Mann, who said it was “too much”.According to the Indian Express, governor Banwarlilal Purohit, in his letter to chief minister Mann, said, “After reading your statements in today’s newspapers, it appears to me that perhaps you are ‘too much’ angry with me. I think your legal advisors are not briefing you adequately. Perhaps your opinion about me will definitely change after reading the provisions of Article 167 and 168 of the Constitution, which I’m quoting for your ready reference.”While Article 167 defines a chief minister’s duties towards the governor, Article 168 speaks about the composition of the state legislature.The governor’s letter comes a day after Mann, on Friday, openly expressed his unhappiness over the governor seeking the list of legislative business to be taken up in the upcoming assembly session. Mann had said his consent before any session of the legislature was a mere “formality”.Also read: Punjab: Amidst Tiff with Governor, AAP Govt to Hold ‘Regular’ Assembly Session Next WeekTaking to Twitter, Mann had said, “Gov (Governor)/Presi (President) consent before any session of Legislature is a formality. In 75 years, no Presi/Gov ever asked list of Legislative business before calling session. Legislative business is decided by BAC (Business Advisory Committee of the House) and Speaker.”Earlier, Purohit had rejected the state government’s plan to summon a special assembly session on September 22 to bring a confidence motion.The ongoing confrontation between the governor and the AAP government began when Purohit withdrew his assent on Wednesday, September 21, given earlier to the AAP government’s request to convene a special session on Thursday.In fact, the governor himself had given his nod to the request for the special session, which the AAP government sought to table a confidence motion in the assembly in the wake of allegations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to “poach” ruling party MLAs to dislodge Mann’s government. It was also decided that the Mann government would move the Supreme Court against the governor’s decision to cancel the ‘special’ session.Punjab AAP MLAs protesting against governor Bhanwarilal Purohit in Chandigarh on Thursday, September 22. Photo: PTIAfter the governor denied permission for a ‘special’ assembly session, expected to be held on September 22, the Mann government decided to have a ‘regular’ session on September 27. The governor said that the rules of the House do not allow a special session of the assembly only to pass a confidence motion in favour of the government.‘Governor acting at the behest of the BJP’: AAPThe ruling AAP in Punjab on Saturday sharpened its attack against governor Purohit, alleging that “he is acting at the behest of the BJP”.AAP leader and state cabinet minister Aman Arora said the Punjab government did not want any confrontation but asserted that it will be “unacceptable” to the ruling party if anyone tried to deprive them of exercising their constitutional rights.Arora accused Purohit of cancelling the earlier special session scheduled for September 22 at the instance of the BJP-led Union government to make the party’s “Operation Lotus” a success.“The governor is acting at the behest of the BJP,” he alleged, addressing a press conference in Chandigarh.Arora said it never happened in the past 75 years that details regarding legislative business were sought.“A shameful incident took place yesterday, which has not happened in the past 75 years. The governor issued a new letter to the Punjab government to know about the legislative business,” said Arora.As per convention, the Business Advisory Committee of the House, in which representatives of all political parties take part, decides the legislative business to be taken up. “If 117 MLAs want to discuss and resolve public issues, then why is he fearing,” asked Arora. “The House has 100% right over it. Elected representatives are the members of the BAC, headed by the Speaker. There is no role of governor in it.”He alleged that the governor houses in states with non-BJP governments had become places for “hatching conspiracies”. In Delhi, where AAP is in power, the lieutenant-governor was acting like an opposition, he alleged.“In Punjab, the BJP has two MLAs and the Congress is fully supporting them. I feel that the Centre has given the responsibility of playing the role of opposition to the Governor here because of which such letters are being issued every day. It is very unfortunate,” alleged Arora.(With PTI inputs)