After being in the political sidelines for about one and half years, former chief minister Amarinder Singh bounced back with full vigour.
Holds a massive show of strength at Lambi, sounds the Congress election bugle
CHANDIGARH: After being in the political sidelines for about one and half years, former chief minister Amarinder Singh bounced back with full vigour on Monday and sounded the Congress party’s election bugle from Lambi — the assembly constituency of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.
At an impressive public gathering, Singh, who has been appointed chairman of the state election campaign committee, sought to create political ripples in Badal’s hometown by demonstrating a massive show of strength.
He said the Akali Dal had miserably failed to provide sound governance to the state. Party president and chief minister’s son Sukhbir Badal had emerged like a parallel power centre in the state, Singh alleged.
Unlike in the past, the Punjab Congress public meeting demonstrated a united front with almost all senior party leaders including AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, acting PCC president Mohinder Singh Kaypee, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal all present on the stage, along with two dozen-odd Congress MLAs.
Congress leaders in Punjab felt that Singh’s rehabilitation was a must for the Congress to gain grounds in the coming Lok Sabha election because of his state-wide popularity. It was alleged that although the Congress had lost the previous election, yet its gains in the Akali vote bank were substantial.
Incidentally, the Akali Dal would hold a counter show of strength on Tuesday at Talwandi Sabo in Sangrur district.
Singh and other Congress leaders also expressed grave concern at the alleged political victimisation of Congress workers at the grass-root level. The former chief minister warned the police and administrative officers against dancing to the tune of the Akali Dal leaders to harass the Congress workers. He expressed regret when he spoke of how false police cases were being registered against the Congressmen and an atmosphere of terror was being created among the party’s supporters.
In her address, Ambika Soni highlighted the special projects for Punjab which prime minister Manmohan Singh had sanctioned in the past few years. She also held the Akalis responsible for not utilising the central funds for the development of the state.
b_ajay@dnaindia.net
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