It’s a victory of sand mafia, says Sukhbir Badal on Channi’s nomination as Congress CM face
Sand mafia prevailed over the Congress high command and foisted its candidate on the party, says Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said the nomination of Charanjit Channi as the Congress’ chief ministerial face was a victory of the sand mafia.

The SAD chief, who was in Patiala to campaign for his party candidate Harpal Juneja, said, “It is shocking but true that the sand mafia even prevailed over the Congress high command and foisted its candidate on the party. This is a move to strengthen loot and corruption in Punjab. People will definitely give a befitting response to the Congress on February 20.”
Sukhbir said the then CM Amarinder Singh presided over the decline of Punjab for over four years. “Amarinder did not undertake a single development work or infrastructure project. He did not even care to come and meet the people of Patiala, forget about listening to their grievances and resolving their problems.”
Taking a jibe at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, the SAD president said the Delhi CM was trying to dupe Punjabis in the same manner Amarinder earlier did.
“Kejriwal is fond of talking about change and harps about the Delhi model. If we study the Delhi model we will realise that it does not have any space for free power to farmers or social welfare schemes like old age pension, free ration or Shagun scheme,” he added.
It was also true that Kejriwal supported transfer of Punjab’s river waters to Haryana and Delhi, the Akali leader alleged.
“He had also approached the Supreme Court to demand closure of thermal plants in Punjab and registration of criminal cases against farmers who burn paddy stubble,” Sukhbir said.