'18-point agenda will be implemented': Navjot Sidhu promises in meet with Punjab Congress workers
The newly-appointed state party chief also listed the five "priorty" points raised by him before chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Newly-appointed Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday met party workers in Jalandhar, remarking that the party high command’s 18-point program will “definitely be implemented.”
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“I have always protected the interests of the people of Punjab and have always raised their voice. Also, as instructed by the Congress high command, the 18-point program that has been decided, will definitely be implemented. It will have to be implemented,” Sidhu, flanked by Congress workers, says in Punjabi in a video uploaded on his Twitter handle.
On Tuesday, Sidhu had met Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh for the first time since assuming charge as the president of the Punjab Congress. It was at this meeting that the former cricketer-turned-politician spoke to Singh about the 18-point agenda, as well as the five “priority” areas. Singh is believed to have told Sidhu that all the issues are already in “advanced” stage of resolution.
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Reportedly, the 18 points were given to the chief minister during his meeting in Delhi with party’s central leadership amid his tussle with Sidhu.
“I met the chief minister on some priority areas. First and foremost, the three black agricultural laws, these are illegal, anti-constitutional and are against the federal structure. The state government should take a stand on these, just like it did in the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal issue, and categorically reject amendments to these laws. The government should tell the Centre that it won’t let these laws be implemented,” Sidhu said, talking about one of the five points among the priority areas.
The other four issues raised by the Punjab Congress chief were punishing the main culprits behind sacrilege and police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan, arrest and exemplary punishment to “big fish” behind trafficking, cancellation of the “faulty” power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with no loss to the state exchequer, and opening talks with more than 20 unions protesting across Punjab over various issues.
Thursday’s meeting was also attended by party workers from Phagwara, Bholath, Sultanpur Lodhi and Kapurthala. Punjab is likely to go to polls early next year, with the ruling Congress aiming for a second consecutive term in office. In 2017, it returned to power by winning 77 seats in the 117-member assembly.
(With PTI inputs)