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I’m contesting to keep power within Punjab: Parkash Singh Badal
Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch said his party and people of Punjab, who have been supporting him for past 60 years, forced him to get into the fray one more time
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch and five-time Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said he had no wish to contest assembly elections this time, but changed his decision to keep power within Punjab.
Addressing a public rally at his home turf in Lambi on Thursday, he said, “My party and people of Punjab, who have been supporting me for past 60 years, forced me to get into the fray one more time. The SAD is the only party that has roots in Punjab. All our decisions are taken among the people of Punjab, while the other parties run to Delhi every time.”
“The Congress has always deceived Punjab. Captain Amarinder Singh formed a government on promises which he failed to fulfil. Now they have changed the face — a CM cannot do anything within 100 days. Charanjit Singh Channi has only wasted crores on announcement and advertisements. Even law-and-order situation has turned worst under Channi’s rule,” he added.
“So-called aam aadmi (Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal) filed cases in the Supreme Court to rob Punjab of its river waters and asked to close thermal plants in the state,” Badal said.
Stressing that only the performance of a political party on past promises should determine the people’s choice, he challenged leaders of the Congress and the AAP to name just one thing on which the SAD government did not fulfil its promises.
Slamming AAP candidate from Lambi Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Badal said people should discourage party hoppers as they are opportunists. “The politics of defection is prevailing in Punjab,” he added.
Badal also announced that all charges on lift pumps will also be waived when the SAD will form its government in Punjab.
