Punjab polls: SAD-BSP alliance will win over 80 seats, claims Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday claimed that the SAD-BSP alliance would win over 80 seats in the February 20 Punjab assembly polls.

Badal also predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would fail to cross its tally of 20 seats that it won in the 2017 polls while the Congress was likely to be reduced to less than 10 seats in 117-member Punjab assembly.

The SAD-BSP combine is heading towards an absolute majority, he said.

Our seats are increasing by the day as people are realising the time-tested pro-farmer, pro-poor policies of the SAD coupled with its commitment to peace and communal harmony is the only way forward," Badal said.

"We are on the 80-seat threshold and this figure may increase further on polling day, the SAD president added.

Badal thanked the people for "reposing" their overwhelming faith and trust in the SAD-BSP combine by coming out in strength on the last day of campaigning to snub both the AAP and Congress.

Never before has Punjab witnessed such a sea of humanity coming out on the roads in overwhelming support of any political party, Badal said after attending a road show from Kotkapura bypass to Ghaa Mandi chowk in the city, according to a party statement.

Speaking at the rally, Badal claimed, The Congress party knows the game is up and that it has been consigned to the dustbin. It will not get more than 10 seats in the assembly elections.

Attacking AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, he alleged, Punjabis had also seen through AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal who has been thoroughly exposed as a divisive and communal leader with an anti-farmer and anti-poor agenda, besides being essentially anti-Punjab and anti-Punjabis.

He claimed that AAP would not even be able to reach its last term figure of 20 seats and could secure between 10 to 15 seats.

Badal said even Kejriwal has seen the writing on the wall.

That is why he is now crying wolf and complaining that all political parties have ganged up against him. Even he has realised that Punjabis have consolidated in favour of the SAD-BSP combine, he said.

Badal said people know that the Delhi Model is a sham and accused Kejriwal of trying to win the election on the basis of Rs 850 crore advertisement campaign.

On the Congress, Badal said people are judging the Congress by its five-year misrule which was marked by corruption, scams, gang culture, and sand and liquor mafia.

People realise that the Congress government added Rs one lakh to the state debt but did not implement even one of the promises made to the people, be it complete loan waiver, jobs for youth, Rs 2,500 per month old-age pension or Rs 2,500 per month unemployment allowance, he said.

It is due to this that the Congress party has been virtually dissolved in Punjab and will not cross the 10-seat mark, he added.

Meanwhile, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia appealed to the people of Amritsar East constituency, from where he is locked in a keen contest against State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, to vote for change and development.

Polling in Punjab is scheduled to be held on February 20 while counting of votes will take place on March 10.