People waiting for polls to dethrone SAD-BJP combine: Amarinder

Amarinder lashed out at the ruling Badals,accusing them of doing nothing to address issues related to farmers,prevalence of cancer in Malwa,unemployment,power,industry and other things. “Tell me any single department where development has taken place (in the current regime),” Amarinder said. Talking about the alleged vendetta cases,he reiterated that Akalis and police officers involved in the vendetta cases against Congress workers would be “hanged upside down”.

Stating that enthusiasm among Congress party workers was rising with every party rally,Amarinder,who was accorded a hero’s welcome at the venue amid thunderous applause,termed the Rampura Phul rally the biggest so far in the series of rallies he had been doing after taking over as PPCC chief.

“After watching the response in the rallies after I took over as PPCC president this time,and on the basis of my 48 years of experience in politics,I can say that people are waiting for the polls to dethrone the ruling (SAD-BJP combine) government in the state,” Amarinder told a huge gathering at the rally venue at Rampura Phul,about 6 km from his ancestral village Mehraj.

Amarinder added that no Sangat Darshans can now come to the rescue of the Badals. Amarinder alleged Sukhbir Badal was thinking that by appointing hand-picked police officers he may win the elections. “But,he should know that police officers could not win elections for anyone.”

Amarinder said that Sukhbir Badal may get the polls advanced in the state thinking that Congress was not ready for them. “Nika Badal (Sukhbir) keeps on doing the research work. Thinking that Congress would not be ready,he may try to get the polls advanced in October itself. But,I dare him to contest tomorrow. Congress is ready and we would inflict a crushing defeat on him,” Amarinder said. “If he (Sukhbir) feels like he is winning,he may get the polls advanced to October. If he realises he is going to lose,he would opt to plunder the state for another six months,” Amarinder added.

“Cancer cases are on the rise. Did Badal ever think of doing something so that cancer trains do not go to Bikaner? We have full sympathy for Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal (wife of CM Parkash Singh Badal). But is it justified to spend crores on her treatment in USA,when scores of victims of the disease are battling the disease in Malwa belt without any treatment facility nearby?” Amarinder said.

He said that Sukhbir’s promises of making Punjab a power-plus state and starting metro rail have proved to be hollow. Speaking on the occasion,leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said that Congress would write to the election commission to bar SAD from contesting the assembly elections in the state “since SAD adopted double face,of a religious body in SGPC and of a political party in assembly elections”.

Bhattal alleged that Badals were looting the Golak money (religious offerings) to use the same to further the interests of their party. She said that Sukhbir’s claims of contesting the polls on the agenda of development were false as all the money for different works was provided by UPA.