From ‘Lalkar’ stage, Capt sounds bugle for 2017 - Says will wage war against drugs if voted to power, hits out at SAD-BJP coalition over fiscal mess

Sunday, 25/01/2015

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/politics/from-lalkar-stage-capt-sounds-bugle-for-2017/34118.html

Amritsar : Though the “Lalkar rally” was primarily aimed at targeting the ruling SAD-BJP alliance on the drug issue, an enthusiastic Congress leadership under Capt Amarinder Singh exploited the massive turnout to sound what they termed “final bugle” for the 2017 Assembly elections in Punjab.

Addressing the rally, Capt Amarinder said, “This is the beginning of the final and decisive battle against the SAD-BJP regime, which will be taken to its logical conclusion in the 2017 Assembly elections. The Congress is certain to win it with a thumping majority.”

The Amritsar MP hit out at the ruling alliance for the “mess it had created in the state over the last eight years”. He alleged that alliance leaders were “busy serving their self-interests”. “Their focus is on robbing the state and building their own business empires by amassing huge wealth. They don’t have any vision for redressing people’s woes. The state’s young generation is getting ruined due to the scourge of drug addiction, but they are least bothered,” he charged.

Capt Amarinder claimed the first thing the Congress would do after “coming to power” in 2017 was to wage a battle against drugs.

On the occasion, the Congress pleaded with Amarinder Singh to take charge of the party to ensure its victory in 2017.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar said, “You not only protected the state’s waters but also provided it a strong leadership. Today, the people are again looking towards you with high hope.”

Jalandhar MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh said, “Captain Sahib has today laid the foundation of the Congress government of 2017.”

Former Union Minister Manish Tewari said, “The people still remember the days of good governance under the Congress rule from 2002 to 2007. We need to mobilise the masses to put the state back on the track of development.”

At the same time, he stressed on unity: “Only Congress defeats Congress. If we stay united, nobody can defeat us.”

Former PPCC chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee said, “The people today are disillusioned with the SAD-BJP government and are appealing to you to take the command and rid them of the corrupt SAD-BJP government. They wish to see the Congress government under your leadership.”

Former minister Laal Singh dubbed Amarinder a “ray of hope” for Punjab. Gurdaspur District Congress chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa termed him as the “future CM” of Punjab and the “only one who could take on the Akalis” in the state. “By turning out in huge numbers, people have given their verdict as to who the leader of Punjab is,” he said.

Jakhar also took on the state government for its “failure” to curb the drug menace. He called upon the party leadership to take the fight against drugs to New Delhi.

“All our MLAs and MPs should stage a protest at Jantar Mantar and expose the SAD as well as the BJP,” he suggested. He also flayed the RSS for initiating ‘Ghar Wapasi’ in Punjab, dubbing the trend as “dangerous”.

In Amritsar, but Khaira stays away from rally

While most of the top Congress leaders from Doaba made it to Capt Amarinder Singh’s “Lalkar rally” in Amritsar today, party’s state spokesman Sukhpal Khaira gave the event a miss even though he was present in the holy city.

On his absence, the former Bholath MLA said, “I deliberately skipped the rally as I didn’t want to be associated with any faction. Instead of being part of any group, the Congress leadership should rake up issues that matter to the Punjabis. Else, we’ll end up repeating the 2012 (Assembly poll) fiasco.” He said he was in Amritsar for a private function.

But, sources cited another reason for Khaira’s non-attendance: “He may have chosen to keep away as he is at loggerheads with Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh, the rally coordinator.”

(Inputs by Deepkamal Kaur in Jalandhar)

ON THE SIDELINES...

Bajwa missing from posters
There was no place for PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa in the huge banners put up on the dais. The banners had photographs of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, Capt Amarinder Singh, Congress’ Punjab affairs in charge Shakeel Ahmed and co-in charge Harish Chowdhary.

PPCC out of speech too

None of the leaders mentioned the word ‘PPCC’ or PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa in their speech during the entire rally. Even the slogans were raised in the name of ‘Indian National Congress’.

All in praise of the ‘King’

While heaping praise on Amarinder for his leadership, the Congress leaders used a variety of sobriquets for him like ‘Hriday Samrat’, ‘Punjabiyan de dilan di dhadkan’, ‘Punjabiyan di shaan’, and ‘Pania de rakhe’.

Absent, but present!
Though Khadoor Sahib MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki didn’t attend the rally, the Amarinder camp’s release mentioned his name among the 35 MLAs, stating that he was performing prayers at the Golden Temple.

Jakhar takes on Shah
Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar said though the rally was “good”, ‘swad nahin aaya’ (didn’t enjoy it much) as the other “wrestler (referring to BJP chief Amit Shah) ran away from the battleground”.

Crowds calls for unity
While Jakhar was exhorting the workers to fight back to power in the state, the crowd replied back: “First you guys assure us that you will stay united.”

Slogans against Majithia
Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia’s name was used in coining slogans against the drug abuse, which were put up on the banners.

Crowd beyond ‘pandal’
The rally attracted so much support from the party workers that the organisers had to open up the ‘pandal’ from all three sides.

Family support for Capt
The family of Capt Amarinder Singh (in pic) was out there to support him with wife Preneet Kaur and son Raninder Singh attending the rally. When all the chairs on the main dais were taken, Raninder sat on the dais floor and was soon joined by other leaders.