Meanwhile in a counter attack to Deputy Chief Minister

Sukhbir Singh Badal, Congress leader and MoS for External Affairs Perneet Kaur said the "entire state of Punjab has been holding 'shok shivir' (mourning session) since the day his party formed government last year". Kaur, wife of Amarinder Singh, said this at a public meeting in favour of Congress candidate Vijay Sathi. The Patiala Congress MP's retort came in response to Sukhbir's comment yesterday that Moga by-poll, the maiden election after the Congress' 'Chintan Shivir' recently, would force the opposition party in Punjab to hold 'Shok Shivir' at Moti Mahal, Amarinder's residence in Patiala. "Ever since the Akalis have taken over the government the people of Punjab are actually observing grief and now they want to get rid of this government and they were going to make a beginning from Moga," Kaur said. She also talked about the alleged deterioration of law and order situation in the state and claimed the SAD-BJP government had failed on all fronts. Appealing to people in Moga to vote and support Sathi, she said, "This was a golden chance for them to express their resentment not only against the wrong policies of the government, but also against the cheating and betrayal by Joginderpal Jain with them".