On poll eve, Capt exhorts party men to take on SAD-BJP rivals

Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today lauded his party men for taking on the "goonda raj" let loose by the Akali-BJP alliance in the state during the local bodies' elections and asked them to be prepared since there was every possibility of ruling parties "repeating" violence during MC polls on Sunday as well.

Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday lauded his party men for taking on the "goonda raj" let loose by the Akali-BJP alliance in the state during the local bodies' elections and asked them to be prepared since there was every possibility of ruling parties "repeating" violence during MC polls on Sunday as well.

At the same time, the former chief minister also warned Akalis and BJP rank and file against any "misadventure" on Sunday and said that the Congressmen would retaliate in equal measure, hard and fast.

"I have told my party workers not to take anything lying down," he said, adding, "Hit them back twice if they try to hit you once."

Capt Amarinder announced that the PCC would not only take care of party workers who have been taking on the "goonda raj" and implicated in alleged false cases, but also duly honour them for their courage in saving democracy.

The PCC president said that the behaviour of police and civil administration during local elections had been "absolutely disappointing", adding that in most cases these officials had either turned a blind eye to Congress complaints or sided with Akalis.

Capt said former Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur was booked under Section 307 of IPC when he tried to resist the alleged "highhandedness" of the Akalis during nagar panchayat elections on June 7.

Similarly, he referred to an attack on the vehicles of Raikot MLA GS Boparai and ex-MLAs Jassi Khangura and Milkiat Singh Dakha in Mulanpur Dakha the same day.