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AAP hopes to sweep Punjab civic body elections with broom
Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and party MLAs launch state-level poll campaign from Bathinda, state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s constituency, to highlight his failure to bring about any change in Punjab’s financial state
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in Punjab started its campaign for the civic body elections by sweeping streets in Bathinda on Friday.
Punjab leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and party legislators from different districts gathered at the local Arya Samaj with brooms, the AAP’s election symbol.
Cheema said it is for the first time that the party has fielded candidates for local bodies across Punjab and looked forward to emerging as a major political force at the municipal corporation level.
“The aim of starting the state-level election campaign from Bathinda is to highlight the failure of local Congress legislator and state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal. Manpreet held the finance portfolio in the previous Akali regime and now in the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, but the state coffers continue to remain empty. He has failed to bring any change in his own constituency,” said Cheema. He said the Bathinda MLA has failed as finance minister as people from all spheres, including state employees, are dissatisfied.
Cheema said over the years, local bodies in Punjab have become synonymous with corruption and undue political interference has hampered developmental activities.
Barnala MLA Meet Singh Hayer charged the Amarinder government with failing to fulfil the promises in the Congress manifesto. “The AAP has proved its model of governance in Delhi and is committed to introducing similar functioning in municipalities. It will make way for bringing a political alternative at the state government level and stands for transparency and accountability,” he said.
