Finance Minister should quit, says Chandumajra

PATIALA, AUG 16: Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of All-India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) and party candidate from the Pat...

PATIALA, AUG 16: Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of All-India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) and party candidate from the Patiala Parliamentary seat, today demanded the immediate resignation of State Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh for leading the state to bankruptcy.

In a statement, he said the state budget prepared by the Finance Minister was a mere jugglery of figures. The financial affairs of the state have been handled in an irresponsible way leading to a piquant situation, wherein state government employees had to move the high court even for the payment of their salary.

Similarly, payment of contractors’, who had undertaken civil works in the state were also held up, putting them in a tight spot. He alleged that Kanwaljit had failed to present a balanced budget because of which the state’s economy was in a mess, and now the government had to make sincere efforts to put it on the right path. Chandumajra also alleged that Kanwaljit Singh was responsible for the split in Shiromani Akali Dal.

50 sarpanches join Badal camp
The All Indai Shiromani akali Dal led by Gurcharan Singh Tohra today received a pre-poll setback when a large number of Tohra loyalists switched over to the Badal camp in the presence of Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh, at village Nasupur in Samana Assembly segment. Kuldeep Singh Nasupur, a close associate of Tohra, announced his change of allegiance at a rally held at Nasupur village. About 50 Sarpanches and other prominent leaders of AISAD from Shutrana, Samana and Dakala Assembly segments also followed Nasupur.

Welcoming Kuldep Singh Nasupur and others into the party-fold after presenting them with siropas, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said that Tohra had tried to crush the sentiments of the Akali leaders and workers whenever he got a chance to lead the party. On the other hand, Badal has tried his best to listen to party leaders and even sought suggestions from party workers. He said that Tohra was now isolated from the Akali mainstream because of his anti-worker policies. Flaying the Congress, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said that Amarinder Singh had failed in his duty towards the area: He did not tour his constituency or attend the Vidhan Sabha session.