Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh said on Monday that the February 23 Moga byelection would play a decisive role in "ushering in political change in the state".
"People of Moga have got a golden chance to set the trend by defeating the Akalis in the ensuing byelection, and that will lead to the SAD-BJP's decimation in the Lok Sabha polls (scheduled for 2014)," the former chief minister said, addressing public meetings at Charik, Patti Sandhuan, Nawan Moga, Sandhuan Wala and Malian Wala among other villages of the assembly segment.
"Let the Akalis not take it for granted that they are going to be (in power) for (the remaining) four years (of their tenure)," Amarinder said, adding that there was a possibility that the state government "can fall". "Given the track record of the Akalis during the last six years, there are many reasons for them to go."
Seeking to dispel popular notions, he insisted that the people must not think that by voting for the Congress they might not get any benefits since the government was of the SAD-BJP. "Byelections have usually been trendsetters," he said, citing the Congress victory against the then ruling Akalis in the Adampur bypoll in 1998.
{{/usCountry}}Seeking to dispel popular notions, he insisted that the people must not think that by voting for the Congress they might not get any benefits since the government was of the SAD-BJP. "Byelections have usually been trendsetters," he said, citing the Congress victory against the then ruling Akalis in the Adampur bypoll in 1998.
{{/usCountry}}He also talked of the deteriorating law and order situation under the current regime, citing the abduction of a girl from her house from Faridkot and a police official's murder over his objection to the harassment of his daughter.
Party candidate Vijay Sathi accompanied Amarinder, besides senior leaders Rana Gurjit Singh, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Darshan Singh Brar, Mohammad Sadique, Milkiat Singh Dakha and Inderjit Singh Bir Charik among others.