Reconstructing social, economic fabric of Punjab priority: Amarinder Singh

Talking about his priorities as the newly-appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Captain Amarinder Singh today promised to reconstruct the state's social and economic fabric which has been destroyed in the last 10 years under the rule of the SAD-BJP government.

"The debt burden is high, industries are moving outside the state, the farmers are committing suicide and drug addiction is rampant. We will have to deal with all these problems," said Captain.

"But, these could not be solved in a day. We will make a manifesto and include all these issues into it. We will put the manifesto before senior party leaders (for their suggestions and approval) and then release it in the public domain," he added.

He also refuted reports of factionalism in the Punjab Congress and his differences with outgoing party president Partap Singh Bajwa.

"The party stands united and it will contest the Punjab elections unitedly and win," said Singh.

"Punjab is fed up with this government and wants to do away with it. In such a situation, we are in very good position and we can consolidate our position in the next one and a half years," he added.

The Congress leader also thanked party chief Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi for reposing their faith in him and promised to live up to their expectations.

"I'm not elected by the party, but nominated by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, which I take as a compliment and challenge that I have to deliver in Punjab," he said.

The Congress Party has also constituted a Campaign Committee with Ambika Soni as its chairperson with an eye on the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections.