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Punjab topped education index under Congress rule: Balbir Sidhu
Lashing out at Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann for his remarks against Punjab’s education infrastructure, Congress’ Mohali candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu told him to verify his facts first
Lashing out at Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann for his remarks against Punjab’s education infrastructure, Congress’ Mohali candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu told him to verify his facts first.
While accusing the AAP and its leadership of leading a malicious poll propaganda, Sidhu on Sunday said the party will bite the dust in the upcoming elections.
“During the 2017 elections, the AAP had claimed to win 100 seats in the Punjab assembly, but lost badly. In the 2022 elections, it will face an even worse defeat due to its hollow promises and claims,” said the sitting Mohali MLA.
He reminded Mann that Punjab had topped the country in the national performance grading index of school education for 2019-20 released by the Centre a few months back.
“Moving forward from the 13th position in 2018-19, Punjab bagged the numero uno position among all states and Union territories with a score of 929 out of 1,000,” Sidhu said, adding that it was an outcome of the sustained and focused efforts of the Congress-led state government.
AAP will make Phase 1 market permanent: Kulwant
AAP candidate from Mohali and former mayor Kulwant Singh on Sunday visited the Phase-1 market as part of his election campaign.
He spoke to shopkeepers, who shared the poor condition of the market. They said they had written several letters, demanding a permanent structure for the market, but nothing has been done to date.
On this, Kulwant said as soon as the AAP formed the next government in Punjab, the issues of Phase 1 will be resolved. He said he was aware of the city’s issues and people of Mohali will be relieved of all difficulties once the AAP came to power.
BJP candidate meets residents under Maha Sampark Abhiyan
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sanjeev Vashisht and his supporters met residents under the party’s “Maha Sampark Abhiyan” in Mohali on Sunday. The party started the mass contact campaign at all 271 booths to make people aware of its public welfare policies.
Vashisht said Congress candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu, who had been Mohali MLA for the past 15 years and had been singing self-praises of development, should visit colonies and see their condition.
While campaigning in Ekta Colony, Balongi, he said people of Ekta Colony, Badmajra, Adarsh Colony, Udham Singh Colony, Jhujhar Nagar and Jhampur were being forced to live in hell.
“The situation is much better in BJP-ruled states and same facilities will also be extended to the people of Punjab. For this, they must resolve and give a chance to the BJP in Punjab once,” he said.
SSM releases manifesto for Mohali
Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) candidate from Mohali Ravneet Singh Brar released his election manifesto on Sunday.
The 11-point “Ikrarnama” outlines steps to improve public participation in governance, education, industrial development, clean, green and healthy Mohali, village ecosystem, sports, household waste management, handing over the private sector to GMADA, healthcare, agricultural renewal and improvement, family and women’s welfare.
Brar said the SSM will take all sections of society along with it. “There will be uniform development in urban and rural areas. Villages will be given the same facilities as cities,” he said.
Tinku addresses election rallies in Kharar
Congress candidate Vijay Sharma Tinku on Sunday addressed election rallies in various villages of Kharar.
Tinku said people were aware that development was possible under the Congress regime only. “During the previous SAD-BJP rule of 10 years, only corruption was rampant, but in the past five years, development works were carried out in a big way, especially in Kharar,” he said.
Hitting out at the AAP, he said the party had introduced corruption in Punjab politics by selling party tickets to wrong elements: “Now, it is trying to befool Punjabis by asking for a chance when they cannot deliver anything.”
Kurukshetra MP campaigns in support of Khanna
BJP MP from Kurukshetra Nayab Saini campaigned in support of party’s Dera Bassi candidate Sanjeev Khanna on Sunday.
Saini, who is also the national vice-president of the BJP OBC Morcha, said the party always protected the interests of Dalits and backward classes.
While addressing workers in Gulmohar City Society, Saini said before the BJP government came to power at the Centre, Dalits and other backward communities were only misused for politics. “But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented many welfare schemes to give them more honour in society,” he added.
Saini said he had been visiting Dera Bassi in the past as well and knew that the residents wanted a change. “People here have made up their mind to hand over the reins of this area to Sanjeev Khanna,” he said, while calling upon workers to strengthen the party at the booth level and ensure Khanna’s victory.
Sewerage system will be expanded in Zirakpur: Sharma
Campaigning in Dera Bassi, sitting SAD MLA NK Sharma said Zirakpur’s solid waste management and sewerage system will be expanded once the SAD came to power in Punjab.
“No work in this regard has been done in the past five years. New pipelines will be laid in Zirakpur by implementing a need-based policy. More dustbins will be placed around the city and arrangements will be made for smooth transfer of garbage to the dumping ground. Apart from this, priority will be given to door-to-door collection of household waste,” the MLA said.
Sharma said the development projects underway in Zirakpur municipality were implemented only during the tenure of the previous Akali government. “Congress could not handle anything during the last five years. Due to the party’s neglect in the city council, life has become difficult for the residents,” he added.
SAD will set up cargo hub in Mohali: Sohana
Parvinder Singh Sohana, joint candidate of Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party from Mohali, organised an election meeting in Phase 9.
Addressing the meeting, chaired by SAD district urban president Kamaljit Singh Ruby, Sohana said SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced that IT City in Mohali will flourish once SAD formed the government.
He said big IT companies will be brought to Mohali and many employment opportunities will be created for the city’s youth.
He said SAD was also planning to set up a cargo hub near the international airport in Mohali. This will facilitate international transportation of goods, boosting trade and creating new job opportunities.
He said every youth here will also be given an interest-free loan of up to ₹10 lakh for studying in India or abroad, as assured by Badal.
