POLITICS OF RALLIES

Friday, 04/12/2015

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/

Capt’s coronation in Bathinda on Dec 15 - Akali Dal to storm Cong stronghold Patiala the same day

Patiala : Two main political parties in the state, the Congress and the Akali Dal will take on each other by holding rallies on December 15.

Amarinder will formally take over as PPCC president at a rally in Bathinda while the entire SAD leadership is expected to converge on Patiala to counter the move.

The Congress rally schedule was finalised today at a meeting of senior party leaders and office-bearers of the Malwa zone at Amarinder’s Moti Bagh residence in the city.

Addressing the meeting, Amarinder said the atmosphere was in favour of the Congress as the common man was fed up with the callous and corrupt Akali-BJP government.

He said the Bathinda rally would mark the beginning of the battle for the 2017 elections. He said the rally would have an impressive gathering despite the government hell bent on ensuring that no buses are available for our rally”. Amarinder said he had invited former PPCC chief Partap Bajwa who had given his consent.

Talking to The Tribune, Captain said Sukhbir’s claim that their rally in Bathinda had over two lakh people, but reports and aerial view of the rally proved that only around 40,000 people were there, with most of them were either government employees or came from Haryana.

“We will put up a good show although I strongly believe rally gatherings do not necessarily turn into votes. People are fed up with the Akalis, but they still are claiming to be popular,” he said.

Party leader Devinder Singh Darshi, who had joined AAP, today rejoined the Congress along with his supporters.

Others present on the occasion included Indian Youth Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, senior leaders Sunil Jakhar, Jagmeet Brar, Laal Singh, Preneet Kaur, Brahm Mohindra, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Kewal Dhillon, Joginder Panjgraian, Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Harminder Jassi, Darshan Brar, Makhan Singh, Gurpreet Kangar, Dr Malti Thapar, PYC president Amarpreet Lalli, Vikram Chaudhary and BIS Chahal.

Meanwhile, the Akali Dal has also decided to hold its rally on December 15 near Patiala Aviation Club. The party is yet to finalise the venue but claim it is expecting a crowd of over 2 lakh people.

“We will have over 2.5 lakh people in our rally and it would be a record,” said Cabinet Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra.