Appealing to the people of Haryana to elect the Aam Aadmi Party to power, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said that the State needs a “new engine” and not “double-engine”, pointing that the BJP often uses the term ‘double-engine’ to refer to its rule both at the Centre and State while vouching for accelerated growth.

Mann, addressing the people at ‘Badlav Jansabha’ at Naraingarh in Ambala district, Mann said that the people of the State have repeatedly given chances to the Congress, BJP, and the INLD, “but there has been no improvement”.

He said that he came to Naraingarh because he learned that the fate of children would be decided on October 5. “I thanked God for this opportunity. Delhi is on one side and Punjab is on the other, with Haryana in between. Both Delhi and Punjab have AAP Governments, providing free electricity and opening new hospitals. However, Haryana is lagging behind in these aspects,” he said, adding, “Delhi and Punjab found a new path and a new engine for progress. Similarly, Haryana needs a new engine as well, not any double engine”,

“Over the past 78 years, problems being faced by the people have only increased under different governments,” Mann said, while highlighting AAP as a viable alternative.

Mann claimed that Punjab provides the cheapest electricity to industries while 90 percent of households in the state have been receiving zero electricity bills for the past two years. “Free electricity is also available in Delhi. Why can't it be free in Haryana? Does any other party promise to build schools, and hospitals, and provide free electricity? No party promises to deliver rations to your home,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Mann and Dhanda interacted with traders at an event in Panipat, listening to their problems and making suggestions. “They asked what measures are being taken in Punjab to support small and medium enterprises and raised concerns about corruption in Haryana affecting single-window systems and various business services,” said AAp spokesperson.

Mann said that the issues faced by traders are not unique to Haryana. Similar problems were seen in Punjab and Delhi before the AAP came to power there, he said.

Governments should facilitate the industry, he said, while pointing to a slew of measures his government has undertaken in Punjab in this regard.