Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday said that AAP’s industry manifesto was a “theatrical gimmick” which “lacked substance” and “was silent on several key issues”.
“Bereft of any real understanding of issues facing the State's industry, Arvind Kejriwal has simply picked some of the promises made by the Punjab Congress,” he commented on the manifesto released by AAP in ludhiana on Sunday.
He claimed that the manifesto has ignored certain vital issues of the industry that has hit an all-time low in the Badal regime.
“From reduction in power tariff to VAT reduction, simplification, revival of sick units, new industrial township in Ropar and promises to end ‘mafia raj’, Kejriwal has simply picked up these points and packaged them in his industry manifesto,” he said.
Even the promise to end power purchase agreements with private players is one of our old commitment, he added.
The Congress had already promised to bring down the industrial power tariff to a competitive rate, Capt Amarinder said adding that if the state can sell power to the national grid at Rs 3.40 per unit then it can also provide the same to industries.
Virtually, each of the 21 promises in the AAP manifesto has links to some or the other promise made by Punjab Congress, he claimed adding that AAP's farm and youth manifestos were also “duplication" of Congress promises.
“Kejriwal has taken this strategy a bit too far with the launch of a Congress-type farm debt waiver campaign,” he said.
The campaign is the last straw for him as he has been exposed before the people, he said, adding that the people will not be fooled “by such blatantly farcical tactics” of Kejriwal and company.