Congress leader unleashes youth power in Punjab

On Baisakhi Day, the historic Sikh town of Talwandi Sabo turned an electoral battleground, with the Congress and the Akalis drawing daggers at each other.

If it was Rahul Gandhi who took charge for the Congress, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal led the Akali brigade.

Dispelling opposition propaganda that Manmohan Singh was a weak-kneed PM, Rahul sought to present him as a lion of Punjab who led the nation with distinction. He said the people of Punjab should support the Sikh PM to the hilt.

Significantly, Rahul had only young candidates by his side, whom he introduced to the crowd as “his men”. He recalled his efforts to infuse fresh blood in Youth Congress and said he had hand-picked five candidates to lead the young brigade.They included Raninder, son of former CM Amarinder Singh, from the Bhatinda Lok Sabha seat.

Taking a dig at the Akali Dal-BJP alliance, Rahul said Punjab farmers did not benefit from the Rs70,000-cr loan waiver granted by the UPA government at the Centre because the ruling combine in the state indulged in rampant corruption.

The Akalis, holding a parallel rally nearby, targeted their attack at the alleged anti-Sikh policies of the Congress.