Jalalabad (Punjab): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal urged voters Tuesday here to seek account from the Congress-led Punjab government for allegedly stopping all social welfare initiatives launched by the previous SAD-BJP regime.
Sukhbir Singh Badal was addressing public meetings here to seek support for SAD candidate from Jalalabad seat, Raj Singh Dibbipura, ahead of the October 21 Punjab Assembly bypolls.
Badal alleged that the Congress government has discriminated against every section of the society.
“This is a good opportunity to give a jolt to the Congress to force it to fulfil the promises it made,” Badal told the gathering.
The SAD chief said real time development took place in this constituency during the two terms of the SAD-BJP government. But all the development work, he alleged, had been stopped during the last two-and-a-half years. Even social welfare benefits like wheat flour, pulses, old age pension have been denied to a large section of population.
Sukhbir Singh Badal said that candidate Raj Singh Dibbipura is one of Jalalabad’s own, while Congress candidate Raminder Awla, who hails from neighbouring Guruharsahai, is an ‘outsider’.
Badal claimed Awla hails from from Uttar Pradesh and appealed to people to not fall for his promise of setting up factories. “Why didn’t Awla open any industry in Guruharsahai or give a single job to anyone from this area till now?” he asked.
Asserting that the SAD was committed to the development of this district, Badal said, “My aim is to ensure that not a single poor person lives in a kutcha house when we form the government next time in Punjab.” He exuded confidence that the Congress will be defeated in the bypolls to four state assembly seats.
Besides Jalalabad, bypolls will be held for Phagwara, Dakha and Mukerian Assembly seats. Counting of votes will be taken up October 24.
PTI