Sukhbir Singh Badal to contest Punjab Assembly polls 2022 from Jalalabad

Ahead of the next year's Assembly polls in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday formally blew the poll bugle and announced his candidature from the Jalalabad seat.

Addressing a massive rally at the Anaj Mandi here, the SAD president said, "Today, I am announcing the first candidate of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. Sukhbir Singh Badal will contest from Jalalabad."

Badal also attacked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for "presiding over four years of brazen misrule", and challenged him to tell one thing he had done for the people of the state in the last four years and said, "You will have to answer for your failings. People will not remain quiet any longer".

"You have given me so much love since the first time I came to represent you in 2009. I have tried my best to return this love and delivered on all the promises made to you be it constructing cement streets in all villages, upgrading schools, opening a Girls College, constructing a Rs 50 crore hospital and a Rs 25 crore stadium. I have a strong bond with the people of Jalalabad and will maintain it for my lifetime"," Badal said at 'Punjab Mangda Jawab' rally in Jalalabad.

He said the chief minister was least interested in the development of the state. "He has been to Punjab for a few times in the last four years and visited his office only eleven times".

The SAD president announced that once elected to power, the party would halve power tariff charges for domestic consumers.

He said the SAD government would also repeal the three agricultural laws besides establishing an MSP (Minimum support price) for vegetables, fruits and milk.

"We will also ensure payment of commission to 'arhatiyas' on behalf of the Punjab government if the Centre discontinues the same besides ensuring cement streets, piped drinking water and concrete drains in all 12,000 villages in the state," he added, the press release reads.

The assembly elections in Punjab is scheduled to be held next year.