Badal slams AAP, Cong; asks Punjabis to re-elect SAD-BJP

Launching a scathing attack on Congress and Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today exhorted the people to make a firm pledge to re-elect the SAD-BJP alliance to continue the development works in the state.

Addressing the party's political conference at Maghi Mela here, the chief minister said that on this sacred occasion every Punjabi must vow to re-elect the alliance for a third consecutive term so that the ongoing work of development could be accomplished.

Badal said that due to the pro-people and development oriented policies of the state government, Punjab was on the zenith of development and peace. He said this could be sustained only if the SAD-BJP alliance was voted to power.

Recalling the legacy of his Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the chief minister reminded the people that the party had relentlessly worked for safeguarding the interests of the state. Whereas, "other political parties have harmed the interests of the state for their own motives", he said.

Coming down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the chief minister said it was a "bunch of fugitives and rumour mongers" who were trying to grab power by misleading Punjabis. The leaders of AAP were basically "braggers" who were trying to divert the attention of the people of the state from basic issues, he said.

He said Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was not aware of even basic topography of the state but he was dreaming to capture power by raising hollow slogans. "Kejriwal is totally unaware of rural life of the state and he cannot even differentiate between the varieties of crop," he added.

Terming Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh as an "indisciplined soldier", Badal said despite his claims that he had served as an Army Captain, Amarinder has not learnt anything from the highly disciplined force. Badal said an army man never disobeys his seniors but Amarinder "arm-twisted" the entire Congress high command to grab the captaincy of Congress.

Badal said that despite two consecutive debacles, Amarinder was clinging to the post of the state Congress chief which, he claimed, was not a trait of any soldier.
Lashing out at state Congress president Amarinder and AAP
leader Sucha Singh Chottepur for "frequently changing sides to suit their interests", the chief minister said these leaders were once sworn Akalis but have changed sides for the sake of power.
Badal said these leaders have deserted their "mother party" for the sake of vested interests. The people of the state would never forgive these politicians who have changed party just for personal gain, he added.

Hitting out at the Congress, the chief minister reminded the people that this party has done lot of injustice to the state by snatching its capital, legitimate share in river waters and Punjabi-speaking areas.
He said the Congress party had inflicted a deep wound on the Sikh through Operation Blue Star and killing thousands of innocent Sikhs during the 1984 riots.
Badal said the Congress had ruined the economy of the state by meting out step-motherly treatment to Punjab.
The chief minister said that the Congress party and the radicals, who were hell bent upon disturbing the hard earned peace of the state, were the two sides of a same coin.

He said the Congress has always pursued the policy of divide and rule for its own interests and now that it has joined hands with radicals for disturbing the hard earned peace of the state.
On the contrary, he said, the SAD-BJP alliance was committed to making any sacrifice to ensure peace, communal harmony and amity in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal made a strong pitch for development and said that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is the only party which has accomplished what it preached and promised to the people of the state.

He promised that if voted to power again in 2017, the project of concretisation of streets and drains in more than 12,400 villages across the state would be done.
Describing SAD as "a party of commoners" and also having a great legacy of martyrdom, Sukhbir thundered that SAD has always fought for the unity and integrity of the country.
Terming SAD as a "development-oriented party", Badal said it was only the SAD government which cared for the welfare of all the sections of society.