Amarinder terms state tour as roadmap for 2017 polls

Wednesday, 05/08/2015

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RAMPURA PHUL: Launching the second phase of his state-wide rallies at Rampura Phul on Tuesday, former chief minister and Amritsar Congress Member of Parliament Captain Amarinder Singh claimed that his Punjab tour over the past few months had been a roadmap for preparations for the 2017 assembly elections in the state.

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh with PPCC vice-president Gurpreet Singh Kangar (centre) and other party leaders during a rally at Rampura Phul in Bathinda district on Tuesday.

Amarinder, accompanied by MLAs and senior leaders, addressed a well-attended gathering and said the time had come to sell the ideas of the Congress party to the masses at these rallies.

“Time is also ripe to show Akalis the door and to free the people of the poor governance of the SAD-BJP government in Punjab,” he claimed, adding that the Congress had started preparing for ‘Mission 2017’.

“If the Congress comes to power, it will rejuvenate the state’s economy. I can also assure farmers that power subsidy will not be stopped if I (Amarinder) take charge. Some SAD-BJP leaders have been propagating that the Congress would take back the subsidy. Let me remind Badal that it was I who started free power to the farmers. Why should I stop it?,” said Amarinder, referring to himself as the future CM, if the Congress manages to win the 2017 state assembly election.

“All sections of people, including the Akalis, are disillusioned with the present regime as the Badals have not been able to look beyond their family interests. Even Punjabis settled abroad are angry,” he claimed, adding that several Akali leaders were in touch with him.

Amarinder also cautioned the SAD against promoting radical Sikh elements.

Slamming Rampura Phul SAD MLA Sikander Singh Maluka for allegedly discriminating against areas in the constituency that supported the Congress, Amarinder said, “Let me promise you (Maluka) today that when we come to power in 2017, you will be held accountable for every sin of omission and commission and you won’t find a place to hide,” alleging that Sucha Singh Langah in Gurdaspur and Virsa Singh Valtoha in Tarn Taran were other SAD leaders, who discriminated against residents of their constituency.

“Does the presence of such people mean that when I come to power tomorrow, I will stop all development work in Badal’s village?,” he questioned “The Badals have brought up such goons,” he alleged.

Later in the day, Amarinder visited his native village of Mehraj and met family members of people who are still missing after the bus mishap in Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh on June 24 that had led to more than 10 deaths.

Other leaders present at the rally were MLA Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Joginder Panjgraian and Mohammad Sadique.

HOARDINGS WERE TORN, CLAIMS ORGANISER

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Gurpreet Singh Kangar, the organiser of the rally, alleged that the Akalis had left no stone unturned to ensure that the rally was a flop, but could not succeed.

“Akali workers resorted to many dirty tricks, including offering the inducement of free wheat to people to not attend the rally. They also blocked sewerage lines near the venue. Even hoardings announcing the rally were torn,” Kangar claimed.