Sangrur sidelights

To bolster the poll prospects of local MP Vijay Inder Singla, Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad gave due credit for the PGI satellite centre to him. "Singla used to remind me of the project time and again. It's on his persistence that the health ministry allotted the project for Sangrur," Gandhi said at the start of his speech.

To bolster the poll prospects of local MP Vijay Inder Singla, Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad gave due credit for the PGI satellite centre to him. "Singla used to remind me of the project time and again. It's on his persistence that the health ministry allotted the project for Sangrur," Gandhi said at the start of his speech.

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Rahul Gandhi reached the venue two hours late than scheduled. For this, he apologised to the public before starting his speech.

Azad twice mentioned Rahul Gandhi as Rajiv Gandhi and Vijay Inder Singla as Vijay Inder Singh. He said it was the result of his having worked so closely with the former prime minister.

The party leaders were seen standing in hot and humid weather near the stage to welcome Gandhi. As the SPG did not allow the chairs, union ministers Manish Tewari, Santosh Chaudhary and Preneet Kaur besides all Punjab MLAs and MPs waited for their leader by standing in the shadow of a small tree.

Capt Amarinder Singh, who did not mention state Congress president Partap Bajwa and local MP Vijay Inder Singla in his speech, later corrected himself saying, "It was a mistake as I forgot to mention Bajwaji and Singlaji's names."