Bhattal predicts fall of Akali-BJP govt by 2014

Wednesday, 31/10/2012

http://punjabnewsline.com/news/Bhattal-predicts-fall-of-Akali_BJP-govt-by-2014.html

Tuesday, October : CHANDIGARH: Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal today predicted the fall of the Akali-BJP government in Punjab before 2014. She said, there was quite a likelihood of the assembly polls being held along with the Lok Sabha elections.

She also reiterated that Amarinder Singh should continue to head the PCC till the parliamentary elections. She sort of agreed that the performance of the party in the assembly elections cannot be blamed on a single leader and it was a collective responsibility.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday Bhattal maintained that the government had failed on all fronts and it was certain to fall before the parliamentary elections. She said, she will not be surprised if the assembly elections in Punjab will be needed to be held alongwith the parliamentary elections.

She claimed, there was total failure of law and order machinery in Punjab as the Akalis were preoccupied with other things. She pointed out, the way abduction of a Faridkot girl was handled by the police reflects poorly on the government. She said, the police virtually handed over the girl to the abductors and ensured that she remains with them only. She regretted that not a single Akali leader, not even Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had cared to meet the family of the girl.

The former Chief Minister said, there was total disillusionment among the masses as the government had no money resulting in no development. She said, the coffers were empty and the government did not have enough money to pay the salaries even.  Besides, she added, the government had put additional burden of taxes on the people and as if that was not enough the power and water have been made most expensive in Punjab.

Replying to a question about a report that appeared in a section of the media about the party’s assessment of the sitting MPs from Punjab, Bhattal said, although the PCC president Amarinder Singh had already refuted the reports but in case there was any leak, it needs to be probed. Moreover, she said, it needs to be found out whether there was some mole sitting in the PCC who was leaking the secrets.

In a toned down expression, Bhattal agreed that losing the election was the collective failure of the party and no individual leader should be blamed. She agreed that she was party to all the decisions, but what matters is her actual opinion which was quite different that has come out.

The former Chief Minister said, her stand on having an understanding with Manpreet Badal had been vindicated as had the party an alliance with him it would have performed better. She said, she was told that Manpreet will cut the Akali votes, which he did, but had he an alliance with the Congress the votes would have gone to the Congress and the party would have won.