Sukhbir running away from Jalalabad: Capt

Monday, 20/06/2016

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COMBATIVE State Congress chief launches ‘Halke Vich Captain’ campaign in deputy chief minister’s constituency

JALALABAD (FAZILKA): Launching his campaign ‘Halke Vich Captain’ on the deputy chief minister’s home turf, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday said Sukhbir Singh Badal is trying to run away from Jalalabad.

Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh interacting with a woman during ‘Lokan Da Darbar’ as part of ‘Halke Vich Captain’ programme at Jalalabad in Fazilka on Sunday.

Amarinder said the deputy chief minister, who has twice won the assembly elections from Jalalabad since 2009, is exploring options of fighting the next assembly election from Maur assembly segment in Bathinda, as he has completely lost touch with people here. “But no matter how much he tries to run away, we will chase and defeat him, wherever he goes,” said the former chief minister.

Talking to reporters after interacting with party workers during the first event under the campaign, Captain said he was told by people in Jalalabad that Sukhbir hardly visited them. “So much so that in one of the villages in his constituency, 37 farmers have committed suicide, but he (Sukhbir) did not care to visit the village,” he said, adding, these were indications that the deputy CM had given up on Jalalabad.

The Punjab Congress chief said once the elections are announced in a few months, Akalis will not dare to venture out. “Sukhbir understands that people do not like him, and he has already started avoiding meeting them, and is focusing mostly on his private business, like building his five-star hotels and transport company,” said Captain.

Justifying his move to launch the outreach programme from Jalalabad, Amarinder said: “I wanted to make a point that if the plight of people who have sent the deputy CM to the Vidhan Sabha can be so pitiable, what will be the condition of people in rest of the state.” ‘TASK FORCE TO RESOLVE GRIEVANCES’

During the ‘Lokan Da Darbar’, which is a part of the threepronged campaign aimed at meeting public, party workers and local influencers, Captain received 2,882 petitions. He said a task force will be set up within 100 days to resolve issues raised in the petitions, if the Congress is voted to power in the next assembly polls.

Meanwhile, claiming indiscipline will not be tolerated in the party, Captain said a block president, who was involved in a clash during a protest rally in Lambi on Saturday, had been suspended. Punjab Congress vice-president Sunil Jakhar was accompanying Amarinder.