Bajwa gears up for 2017 polls, starts preparing manifesto

Saturday, 13/06/2015

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SAYS HAS LAUNCHED A MASS CONTACT PROGRAMME TO GET FEEDBACK TO INCLUDE IT IN PARTY MANIFESTO

JALANDHAR: Even as the Congress’ Punjab unit is embroiled in a tussle between factions led by party’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Amarinder Singh and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Partap Bajwa, the latter has already started preparations to make the party manifesto for 2017 assembly polls in Punjab.

Former Congress MLA Kanwaljit Singh Lally (in pink turban) welcoming PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa at Adampur in Jalandhar on Friday.

Bajwa, who was in Adampur assembly segment to meet the party workers under his mass contact programme, was seen preparing a list of demands put in during his interaction. After the PPCC chief addressed a gathering, his team filled a proforma, in which the workers were asked to fill in their demands that could be included in the party manifesto along with their full address and mobile number. “I am doing this exercise to get actual feedback from grassroots level, as in general, manifestos are prepared by people sitting in air conditioned rooms in Chandigarh,” said Bajwa. He added that such an exercise would throw a light on the actual demands of the people.

“The demands of the dalits of Doaba may be different from those of Majha. So our focus is to list out regional problems in order to find their solutions in our manifesto,” said the PPCC chief while interacting with during a luncheon. Claiming that he has got a few “never before suggestions” for the manifesto, Bajwa said he would also look for more local issues to include in party manifesto during his proposed padyatra, slated in October. When questioned over his preparing a manifesto even as uncertainty looms over his future as PPCC chief with Amarinder camp opposing him vehemently, Bajwa evaded a direct reply and claimed that everything is going to be “smooth very soon”. Bajwa, who recently met Rahul Gandhi and got his assurance to attend the proposed padyatra programme, claimed that his every step had the “stamp of the high command and the party was watching the activities of each and every leader”. However, leaders from the Captain group took a dig at Bajwa’s move. “He is dreaming to become the CM. Perhaps, he is not aware about ground realities and is behaving like a child by claiming that he was taking feedback for the manifesto,” said a former minister from Amarinder camp.