Amarinder asks Bhattal not to interfere in his programme

Snubbing Congress Legislative Party CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former CM and party's election campaign committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today asked her not to "interfere" in his statewide tour programme...

Says corruption and vendetta to be main issues in Lok Sabha elections

Snubbing Congress Legislative Party CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former CM and party8217;s election campaign committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today asked her not to 8220;interfere8221; in his statewide tour programme that 8220;had the seal of approval of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee8221;.

He said his public contact programme was meant to reach out to the Congress workers and people for the benefit of the party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. Bhattal had questioned his five-day tour programme, saying that it did not have the approval of the party high command.

8220;Our workers are facing vendetta politics initiated by the Badal government. She should not interfere in my programme and rather concentrate on legislative issues, as she is the CLP leader,8221; he said after addressing a workers8217; meeting, which turned into an election rally. He advised Bhattal to speak to Kaypee on the issue.

He said his son Raninder Singh and wife Preneet Kaur were interested in contesting LS polls. Spitting fire at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SADB president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, he said the SADB was not the real Akali Dal, but 8220;Badal tola group8221; that was bent upon ruining the state8217;s economy, disturb social fabric and loot the public exchequer. 8220;The scale of corruption is so large that even sand meant for construction is in the control of top Akali leaders,8221; he said, adding that Badal, Sukhbir and Majithia were buying properties abroad. 8220;Sukhbir is a businessman and not a political leader,8221; he alleged.

Warning IPS and PPS officers, he said they were behaving as if they were in 8220;Badal Police Service8221;.

Amarinder said corruption and political vendetta would be the main election agenda.

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Party8217;s probable candidates for Khadoor Sahib parliamentary seat Jasbir Singh Dimpa and Gurjit Singh Rana were present on the occasion and spoke on vendetta politics. 8220;Over 7,500 false cases have been slapped on our workers and leaders. More than 48 of our workers and sympathisers have died. We will make police officers reply,8221; he said, adding that they were making lists of 8220;such officers and have warned them of tough times when the Congress comes to power8221;.

He also took the state government to task on shortage of power and fertilizers, delays in paddy procurement and non-development.

Amarinder said there was a proper procedure for the selection of candidates that would be followed after the results of J038;K elections. Former ministers, Sardool Singh, Gurchet Bhullar, MLAs, Jeet Mohinder and A Kataria, Harminder Gill and Gurwinder Singh Mamanke also addressed the meet.