Mohali
A day before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Insaaf Rally in Sangrur, leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the party will continue all existing welfare schemes, including the ₹1,000 monthly financial assistance under the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, if voted to power in Punjab in the assembly polls due early next year.
“All subsidies and welfare schemes will continue. We need to attract investment and reopen the Wagah border for trade. Once law and order is restored, investment will naturally flow back into Punjab,” Bajwa said at the Leaderspeak@HT interaction in Mohali on Tuesday.
Bajwa’s categorical stance against roll back of populist schemes, which the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has projected as its key poll plank, assumes significance in backdrop of recent remark by Ludhiana member of Parliament and former Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring calling for rethink on freebies in light of state’s precarious finances.
Asserting that the AAP’s days in Punjab are numbered, Bajwa claimed it is on the verge of collapse. “MLAs have already begun deserting the AAP. Once the model code of conduct is imposed, the party will crumble. People are angry with this government, and sensing this, more than 35 MLAs are preparing to leave,” he claimed.
Bajwa promised that a Congress government would set up an inquiry commission to probe alleged irregularities and acts of omission and commission during the AAP administration’s tenure. On the drug crisis, Bajwa questioned the BJP’s pledge to make Punjab drug-free by December 31, 2029.
{{/usCountry}}Bajwa promised that a Congress government would set up an inquiry commission to probe alleged irregularities and acts of omission and commission during the AAP administration’s tenure. On the drug crisis, Bajwa questioned the BJP’s pledge to make Punjab drug-free by December 31, 2029.
{{/usCountry}}“What stopped the BJP from ending the drug menace over the past 13 years? Amit Shah is the home minister and controls key agencies like the BSF, NIA, and NCB,” he said.
Bajwa alleged that Shah is bargaining with Punjab voters by promising a fiscal package. “Who stopped the Centre from announcing a package for Punjab all these years? Why has nothing been done?” Bajwa asked, adding that the BJP would not succeed in polarising the state on communal lines.
“People don’t trust the BJP. Captain Amarinder Singh is a clear example — he lost miserably from his home turf after joining them. The BJP has no chance in Punjab,” Bajwa said.
On a potential reunion between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP, Bajwa said both parties would struggle to convince voters, as core issues like the farmers’ protest, release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) and the sacrilege cases remain unresolved. “How will Sukhbir Singh Badal justify aligning with the BJP when these issues persist? And how will the BJP carry the SAD’s baggage on sacrilege?” he asked.
Addressing infighting in the Congress, Bajwa admitted that Raja Warring had contributed to factionalism by alienating senior leaders. “He rubbed many leaders the wrong way because he was in a hurry to reach the top post,” he added.
Stressing that internal differences have been resolved following Pargat Singh’s appointment as the Punjab Congress president, Bajwa said party leaders now recognise the need for unity to defeat the AAP government. “Everything is well in the Congress now, and we are united under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
Responding to a question on his own chief ministerial ambitions, Bajwa candidly acknowledged his aspirations. “I won’t lie — I do have the ambition for it. However, the party high command will make the final decision. I hope parameters of seniority, loyalty and capability are considered, as Punjab needs visionary leadership to navigate these tough times.