Sukhbir focuses on widening mass base

Choosing to keep himself away from the feud, he said, 8220;There are a number of leaders senior to me to bother about the party affairs.8221; Sukhbir Badal ignored all the questions related to the Badal-Tohra controversy and edict issued by Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh.

He dubbed as baseless the reports related to his involvement in lobbying to win the support of more MLAs and SGPC members to oust Tohra.

He denied that the Badal family had centralised power to run the party as well as the government. 8220;In a democratic party like Akali Dal is such a practice possible ?8221; he asked.

Badal expressed his ignorance on the reason behind the dissolution of Youth Wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Responding to a question, he said that he never wanted to be the chief of the wing.

Sukhbir Badal was here to inaugurate a 220 kv power grid. Addressing the gathering, he said that the grid would become operational before the paddy season.

Earlier, Sher Singh, MLA, Jalanlabad, Parmjit Singh, MLA, Guru Harshai, Ram Kumar, MLA, Abohar and Gurtej Singh, MLA, Baluana put forward the demands of their respective constituencies.

The Minister said that after the completion of work on Thein Dam, Punjab would become the first state of India to release round-the-clock power to its consumer.

He said that out of 48 large scale industrial units throughout the country 32 were sick. The Minister said that the government was exploring the possibilities to either close those units or making them profit making units.

The Punjab government8217;s demand of giving Rs 300 crore for farmers was likely to be fulfilled soon as an experts committee after visiting the state had deposited its report and the issue was under consideration with the Union Cabinet Committee, he said.

Local MP Zora Singh Mann, who also spoke on the occasion, criticised the Congress government for turning a blind eye towards the development of the border zone during its term.