Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Sunday said that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance would fight the 2017 assembly polls on the plank of “massive development” work carried out by the State Government in Punjab during its last nine years rule.
He claimed that the opposition parties are “dumbstruck” by the matchless development of Punjab and they don't have any answer to that.
Sukhbir, addressing the workers in connection with its proposed ‘Paani Bachao-Punjab Bachao’ (Save Water, Save Punjab) rally to be held on December 8 in Killi Chahlan in Moga, said that the SAD-BJP Government has accelerated the pace of progress in the State through several far-reaching measures such as making Punjab surplus in power sector, excellent road network, industrial expansion, and improving the infrastructure in health, education, besides social service sectors.
Both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are bereft of any progressive agenda for the State and the people of the state are well aware of the “misleading” political game being played by both these parties, he said.
Attacking AAP, the SAD president claimed that AAP would cease to exist post assembly polls of 2017 owing to the “high handedness” of its convener Arvind Kejriwal who has alienated the Punjabi leaders and has also caused “internal fighting” due to sale of tickets as alleged by some volunteers.
“The rebellion mounted by the volunteers in AAP is a clear indicator of Kejriwal’s leadership being challenged from within the party,” he said.
Sukhbir claimed that the people have already tried Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh and Congress is struggling for survival in the wake of successive electoral defeats.
listing the welfare-oriented initiatives of the SAD-BJP Government, Sukhbir claimed that not only had Punjab become the first power surplus state of the country, but it has emerged as a major player on the social service front with Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojna (BPSSBY) for weaker sections, small traders and farmers.
He said that the industrial transportation would get a big boost with the four and six-laned road network in the State.
Re-iterating the State Government’s resolve to protect river waters of Punjab, he said that only Punjab has the right over its river waters which would be protected at any cost.