Ludhiana, March 18 -- At a time when Punjab Roadways and PRTC are struggling with a severe shortage of buses, the Punjab government has deployed 324 state-run buses to ferry Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers for the party's rally in Ludhiana, raising concerns about financial strain on the state's exchequer.

The rally, scheduled at the Indoor Stadium on Pakhowal Road, will be addressed by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann. The buses have been arranged from nine districts across the state, including 171 from Punjab Roadways and 153 from PRTC.

Among the districts, Fatehgarh Sahib has contributed the most buses (76), followed by Jalandhar (47), Anandpur Sahib (43), Hoshiarpur (32), Sangrur (34), Ludhiana (...