SAD-BJP alliance to contest Pujab polls on development plank

Punjab's Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday addressed a group workers during his rally in Fairdkot

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance would fight the 2017 assembly polls on the plank of "massive development" work carried out by the state government in Punjab during its last nine years rule.

He claimed that opposition parties are "dumbstruck" by the matchless development of Punjab and they don't have any answer to that.

Addressing workers in connection with the 'Paani Bachao-Punjab Bachao' (Save Water, Save Punjab) rally to be held on December 8 in Killi Chahlan in Moga, Badal said the SAD-BJP government has accelerated the pace of progress in the state through several far-reaching measures such as making Punjab surplus in power sector, excellent road network, industrial expansion, and improving the infrastructure in health, education, besides social service sectors.

He said both Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are bereft of any progressive agenda for the state and the people of the state are well aware of the "misleading" political game being played by both these parties.

Attacking AAP, the SAD president claimed that AAP would cease to exist post assembly polls of 2017 owing to the "high handedness" of its convenor Arvind Kejriwal who has alienated the Punjabi leaders and has also cused "internal fighting" due to sale of tickets as alleged by some volunteers.

He further claimed that the people have already tried PPCC President Amarinder Singh and Congress is struggling for survival in the wake of successive electoral defeats.

Listing the welfare oriented initiatives of the SAD-BJP government, Badal claimed that not only had Punjab become the first power surplus state of the country but it has emerged as a major player on the social service front with Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojna (BPSSBY) for weaker sections, small traders and farmers.

He said industrial transportation would get a big boost with the four and six-laned road network in the state.