News Analysis India

Tag: 2022 Punjab elections

  • Punjab elections 2022: AAP, Akali Dal ready themselves to end Congress ‘misgovernance’

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Slamming the ruling Congress for ‘misgovernance’ both Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal claimed they will independently form the next government in Punjab. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi claimed he worked days and night to best of his abilities.

    AAP Punjab president and Parliament member Bhagwant Mann, while welcoming the Election Commission’s announcement of poll dates, claimed that his party was amply prepared for the contest. Mann appealed to the people of Punjab to “write down their destiny with their own hands on February 14 to put Punjab on the track of prosperity, peace and harmony again”.

    Mann said voters of the state should cast their votes to “get rid of those who have been looting Punjab for their vested interests”. He claimed the people of Punjab have made up their mind to form the AAP government.

    “This is evident from the fact that the people are reaching out in large numbers with their own resources and are generously supporting Kejriwal’s guarantees in the events being held by the party candidates. The results on March 10 will announce the victory of the people of Punjab,” he said.

    Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal hailed the announcement of  Assembly polls and said the people of the state will immediately heave a big sigh of relief. 

    “This signals the end of anarchy, chaos, confusion and misgovernance in Punjab. The present rulers have reduced governance to a circus joke. People will heave a sigh of relief that it is over and the state will go back to the serious business of governance by the SAD- BSP alliance,” he said.

    Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said his party would conduct the campaign as per the instructions of the Election Commission. “I have been the CM for 111 days I thank the people of Punjab and Congress. I worked to best of my abilities,” he said.

    When asked whether he will be the CM face of the Congress, Channi said this decision would be taken by the party high command. “Whatever feedback the public gives the party, a decision will be taken accordingly,” he said.

    Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said his party is fully prepared to contest the elections in the state. Sharma said that the days of “mafia rule” will soon be over and CM Charanjit Singh Channi, along with Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, will be “routed”.

  • Akalis holds rally to mark 100 years of party’s foundation, says ‘SAD-BSP will sweep Punjab polls’

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday held a rally in Punjab’s Moga to commemorate the completion of 100 years of its foundation.

    A huge crowd was seen on the occasion. “Celebrating 100 years of ‘Nirswarth Seva’, ‘Balidan’ and ‘Sangharsh’ to preserve the pride and honour of Panth, Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat. These are our core values and we are committed to following the same path for peace, progress and prosperity of Punjab,” the SAD said in a tweet.

    Meanwhile, the party gave a clarion call for the establishment of a true federal country with cultural, political and economic autonomy to states. It also announced to implement a Rs 50,000 per acre crop insurance scheme besides a commitment to revive the pre-2004 pension scheme for government employees.

    Addressing a rally at Moga to commemorate the party’s 100th anniversary, SAD patriarch and five-time CM Parkash Singh Badal said that the Akalis would bounce back to form the next government in the state. He termed the SAD-BSP tie-up a “holy alliance”. The SAD-BSP alliance is all set to repeat their performance of 1996 — the year they swept the entire state.

    Badal said the choice before the Punjabis was straight and simple. It’s one between having a government of the Punjabis, for the Punjabis and by the Punjabis on the one hand or having “boastful puppets” remote-controlled by outsiders.

    Badal said that it was sad to see the Congress humiliating the poor and Dalit sections of the society by letting them know that they made a CM (Charanjit Singh Channi) who was not their first choice. “Now, they are humiliating him by openly refusing to endorse his performance and not naming him as its CM face.

    ALSO READ | ‘Channi will end up as night watchman’: Amarinder slams Sidhu as Punjab Congress poll panel chief

    earlier they had humiliated seasoned Congress leader Sunil Jakhar’s community by first ‘publicising that he would be the next CM. But later media reports said no one from his community could be made the CM of Punjab. “Such communal games are nothing new in Congress. These are both distasteful and dangerous for communal harmony.”

    Badal cautioned the Sikhs against conspiracies by the Center and other anti-Sikh forces who are trying to sabotage the sovereign and sacred right of the Khalsa Panth on Seva Sambhal (management) of the Holy Gurdhams of the quom through their legitimately constitutionally-elected representatives.” The Akali stalwart also warned the Centre against the “dangerous adventurism” of the past and said nothing should be done to disturb the atmosphere of peace and communal harmony in Punjab and rest of India.

    Addressing the congregation, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal announced that farmers would be offered an insurance cover of Rs 50,000 per acre for crop damage. Amidst the cheers, he also announced that the next SAD- BSP alliance government would revive the pre-2004 pension scheme for government employees. He said the next government would also end monopolies in the sand and liquor business by giving mining contracts to one individual and the liquor vend to another. He also announced a waiver of electricity bills of all religious places of worship.

    The Moga conference also passed a resolution condemning the Congress government’s attempts to register false cases against SAD-BSP alliance leaders and warned CM Channi, home minister Sukhjinder Randhawa and PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu that they would be responsible for the consequences of pursuing vendetta politics.

    The resolution, which was read out by Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, also demanded the resignation of the chief minister and home minister in the cash for the transfer case. It also demanded a judicial probe into bribery charges levelled against the home minister who has been accused by a cabinet colleague of taking money for posting SSPs.

    Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) senior vice president Satish Mishra, while speaking on the occasion, said the alliance was set to sweep the forthcoming polls by securing 100 seats. He said the alliance stood for empowering the weaker sections of society.

    The SAD was formed on December 14, 1920, and completed 100 years last year. The party did not celebrate the occasion in view of the farmers’ stir. Over the years, the Moga district holds a special place in the state’s political scene as it is a hotbed of farm union activities. 

    Meanwhile, CM Channi slammed SAD saying that the century-old party has been brought into disrepute by the Badals and Bikram Singh Majithia with drugs, sacrilege and corrupt practices. “Akali Dal cannot revive till Sukhbir and Majithia are at the helm of affairs,” said the CM adding that Sukhbir Badal has pocketed every public resource to further his personal motives.

  • ‘Non-Punjabis of khaas party trying to fool people’: Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi attacks AAP

    By PTI

    MANSA: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday called the AAP a party of “thugs and looters” and said its “non-Punjabis” are trying to fool people of the state with their “poll gimmicks”. Punning on the name of Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man’s Party), he called it the “khaas” (special) party.

    Addressing the gathering here, Channi also attacked the Badals for “looting” the state and former chief minister Amarinder Singh for his “misrule”. “The non-Punjabis of the ‘khaas party’ are trying to fool the people of Punjab with their poll gimmicks but the Punjabis are aware enough and will teach them a lesson,” said Channi.

    ALSO READ| Former Punjab AAP MLA Baldev Singh joins Congress

    Their “day dream” of capturing Punjab by installing the posters of “outsiders” everywhere will never turn into reality as Punjabis will throw these “black-hearted kaala angrez out”. He termed the AAP as a party of “thugs and looters.

    Channi said that these “outsiders” of the AAP are not even giving space to any leader from Punjab on their posters and hoardings which shows their “hidden agenda”.

    Earlier this month, Channi had dubbed the AAP a party of ‘kaale angrez’ (black Britishers) trying to win the 2022 state assembly elections, prompting his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal to retort that he may be dark-complexioned but his intention is fair.

    Lashing out at the Badals and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, Channi on Friday alleged that they “looted the state’s exchequer to set up their own business empires”. Former chief minister Amarinder Singh had also involved himself in such malpractice without paying any heed to the problems of the common people, he further charged.

    “These types of people will never understand the plight of common people as they belong to the elite class. Elites don’t have any caste or religion as their only motive is to fetch money to their pockets by any means,” said Channi.

    Further highlighting Amarinder Singh’s alleged misrule, Channi said his predecessor had hired an army of advisers and facilitated them with hundreds of police personnel to “unnecessarily harass” the public.

    Speaking on the occasion, Transport Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that though their party gave a free hand to the former chief minister to redress the problems of the people in Punjab despite taking oath of the holy ‘Gutka sahib’ (religious book), he did not fulfil promises made by him.

    “Now, the Captain (Amarinder Singh) has been changed and our new CM Channi has pressed all the means to fulfil the promises within the span of just a few months. Many of the promises such as cheaper power tariff, waiver of water and power bills and capping sand and gravel rates have been made a reality in just 70 days. Apart from these, the noose has been tightened around all types of mafia,” said Warring.

  • Punjab elections 2022: Amarinder Singh, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat may meet on Tuesday

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are likely to meet on Tuesday over lunch and expected to hold discussions on seat sharing for the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls, said sources.

    Shekhawat is the BJP’s in-charge for the Punjab Assembly polls. Sources said that the meeting is likely to take place at Amarinder Singh’s farmhouse at Siswan in Mohali.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday had said the BJP is in talks with Amarinder Singh and former Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa for an alliance with their parties ahead of the state Assembly polls.

    Earlier in the day, the former Punjab CM reiterated that his party along with the BJP and former Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s outfit will form the next government in the state. Singh, who faced unceremonious exit as the Punjab chief minister in September, on Monday opened the office of his new party Punjab Lok Congress here. “We are very hopeful that in the upcoming elections, we will win the combination of seat adjustment with the BJP and Dhindsa sahib we will form the next government,” said Singh.

  • AAP postpones tour of Punjab, will hold prayer meet for state progress

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The ‘Mission Punjab’ tour of the state to be headed by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, which was scheduled to start from Moga, has been postponed for November 22. This is because AAP workers in Punjab are busy participating in the celebrations with the farmers following the rollback on the farm laws.

    The Aam Aadmi Party has described the jollity of the ‘annadatas’ as the happiness of the country and saluted the 700 slain farmers, who sacrificed their lives and fought for over a year. A party spokesman said that history will remember the farmers’ struggle on every front. 

    “This is the victory of the farmer’s courage, passion and hope, the victory of every family who, regardless of day and night, regardless of sun or rain, fighting with storms and harsh weather by risking their lives, have secured the future of Punjab,” said the AAP spokesperson.

    Meanwhile, Kejriwal along with the party’s Punjab state president and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann congratulated the farmers from Punjab and the rest of the country on the repeal of three laws. The AAP will organise ‘Sukhmani Sahib paath’ at all the district headquarters across the state on November 20.

    In-charges and volunteers in the district-level, will organise a prayer meet for the progress and prosperity of Punjab with recitation of ‘Sukhmani Sahib Paath’. Bhagwant Mann termed the announcement by PM Modi to repeal the three agricultural laws as a victory of the farmers and congratulated the farmers of the country. 

    Mann said that the BJP leaders who called the farmers of the country, separatists, Naxalites and traitors, should apologise and that the Union government should also compensate the families of the slain farmers. Mann also added that the credit for the Centre’s decision on the rollback goes solely to the farmers.

    He observed that no political party is entitled to take credit. “In Punjab, the Congress, Akali Dal and BJP have become objects for people’s ire. Earlier, Amarinder Singh used to share government with the BJP and now he will share seats. Amarinder’s alliance with the BJP has now come to light,” said Mann.

  • Punjab elections 2022: AAP announces first list of 10 candidates – all sitting MLAs

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday announced its first list of 10 candidates for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls. All of the 10 candidates are sitting MLAs.

    Senior AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, has been given ticket from Dirba seat, while Aman Arora will contest from Sunam assembly constituency, according to the list shared by the party on its Twitter handle.

    Saravjit Kaur Manuke will contest from Jagraon seat and Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo.

    Jai Kishan Roudi has been given ticket from Garhshankar seat, Manjit Bilaspur from Nihal Singh Wala, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, Budhram from Budhlada, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Barnala, and Kulwant Pandori from Mehal Kalan, according to the list.

    The election to the 117-member Punjab assembly is due early next year. The poll schedule is yet to be announced by the Election Commission.

  • Sidhu writes to Sonia Gandhi raising issues concerning Punjab, seeks meeting with her

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has written to Sonia Gandhi highlighting issues the state government “must deliver upon” and sought a meeting with her to present his 13-point agenda which can be included in the 2022 poll manifesto.

    In the letter to the Congress president on October 15, a day after he had meetings with senior party leaders in Delhi, Sidhu said it was Punjab’s “last chance for resurrection and redemption”.

    Days after resigning as Punjab Congress chief, Sidhu had on October 15 said his concerns have been resolved and the party asserted that he will continue as the head of the state unit.

    The resolution came after the cricketer-turned-politician met Rahul Gandhi and raised his concerns.

    The letter to Sonia Gandhi reminded her of the party’s 18-point agenda “given to the last chief minister” of Punjab and said that those were “equally relevant today”.

    “Today, I write to your esteemed self with priority areas among the 18-point agenda of the 2017 campaign and the manifesto promises which the state government must deliver upon.”

    Sidhu then said the people of Punjab demand justice for the 2015 police firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in Faridkot following the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib during the previous SAD-BJP regime.

    On the drugs issue, the Punjab Congress chief said, “The big fish mentioned in the STF report must be immediately arrested and given exemplary punishment.”

    He also wrote that the state government must reject the “three black farm laws” of the Centre “by announcing that they will not be implemented in Punjab at any cost”.

    The state government must release a white paper on power purchase agreements and cancellation of “all faulty PPAs as promised by us”, Sidhu said in the letter.

    “Thus, I request you kindly consider these points and give your august direction to the state government to act in the best interests of the people of Punjab immediately,” he wrote.

    In the letter, Sidhu sought a meeting with Sonia Gandhi to present to her a “Punjab Model with a 13-Point Agenda to be part of the Congress manifesto for the 2022 Assembly Elections”.

    The Punjab Congress chief described the “13-point agenda” as separate from the manifesto by “means of its long-term vision to be implemented over a longer period, crafted through years of consultations with academics, civil society, party workers and feedback from the people of Punjab”.

    Sidhu had posted his resignation as state unit chief on Twitter on September 28.

    He was not happy with the appointment of the new Punjab Police chief and the advocate general, besides some portfolio allocations to ministers after the new cabinet formation.

    During the meeting with Congress senior leaders K C Venugopal and Rawat, the Punjab Congress leader had raised his concerns over the 18-point agenda taken up by the leadership on which actions are pending.

    These included action against those involved in the sacrilege issue and the drugs mafia.

  • Sidhu seeks meet with Sonia Gandhi on his 13-point agenda, says ‘Punjab’s last resurrection chance’ 

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has sought a meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi, flagging in his letter issues which the government “must deliver upon” and saying it is the poll-bound state’s “last chance for resurrection and redemption”.

    In the letter to the Congress president on October 15, a day after he had meetings with senior party leaders in Delhi, Sidhu pitched for a “Punjab Model with a 13-Point Agenda to be part of the Congress manifesto for the 2022 Assembly Elections”.

    Days after resigning as Punjab Congress chief, Sidhu had on October 15 said his concerns have been resolved and the party asserted that he will continue as the head of the state unit.

    The resolution came after the cricketer-turned-politician met Rahul Gandhi and raised his concerns.

    The letter to Sonia Gandhi reminded her of the party’s 18-point agenda “given to the last chief minister” of Punjab and said that those were “equally relevant today”.

    “Today, I write to your esteemed self with priority areas among the 18-point agenda of the 2017 campaign and the manifesto promises which the state government must deliver upon.”

    Sidhu then said the people of Punjab demand justice for the 2015 police firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in Faridkot following the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib during the previous SAD-BJP regime.

    On the drugs issue, the Punjab Congress chief said, “The big fish mentioned in the STF report must be immediately arrested and given exemplary punishment.”

    He also wrote that the state government must reject the “three black farm laws” of the Centre “by announcing that they will not be implemented in Punjab at any cost”.

    The state government must release a white paper on power purchase agreements and cancellation of “all faulty PPAs as promised by us”, Sidhu said in the letter.

    “It might be the last damage-control exercise or else, mafia-raj ruling the state patronized by the Badals will take the state to the extent of financial emergency, corruption and agrarian crisis from which there will be no return.

    “Thus, I request you kindly consider these points and give your august direction to the state government to act in the best interests of the people of Punjab immediately,” he wrote.

    In the letter, Sidhu sought a meeting with Sonia Gandhi to present to her a “Punjab Model with a 13-Point Agenda to be part of the Congress manifesto for the 2022 Assembly Elections”.

    The Punjab Congress chief described the “13-point agenda” as separate from the manifesto by “means of its long-term vision to be implemented over a longer period, crafted through years of consultations with academics, civil society, party workers and feedback from the people of Punjab”.

    Sidhu had posted his resignation as state unit chief on Twitter on September 28.

    He was not happy with the appointment of the new Punjab Police chief and the advocate general, besides some portfolio allocations to ministers after the new cabinet formation.

    During the meeting with Congress senior leaders K C Venugopal and Rawat, the Punjab Congress leader had raised his concerns over the 18-point agenda taken up by the leadership on which actions are pending.

    These included action against those involved in the sacrilege issue and the drugs mafia.

  • Amid Congress crisis in Punjab, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meets former minister Sidhu

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Months ahead of Punjab Assembly polls, the rift in the state unit has intensified. While Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu met the party’s General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday, the party’s top leadership did not meet Punjab Chief Minister Captain (retd) Amarinder Singh who was in Delhi recently for three days.

    A senior Congress leader clarified that the Punjab Chief Minister had not sought time to meet the top leadership of the party. Singh, however, had met the All India Congress Committee (AICC) panel entrusted with the task to end factionalism in the state unit.

    According to sources, Priyanka held a meeting with Sidhu at her residence this morning. The meeting has come in the midst of a crisis in the Punjab unit of the party. After meeting Sidhu, Priyanka went to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s residence and had a 40-45-minutes-long meeting with him.

    Had a long meeting with @priyankagandhi Ji pic.twitter.com/Wd4FYXFrhr
    — Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) June 30, 2021

    After the meeting with the Wayanad MP, Priyanka returned to her residence and again held a meeting with Sidhu. Today’s meeting comes even as the party has been embattled with murmurs of rebellion in the state unit.

    Earlier, the AICC panel had submitted the report on Punjab crisis to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi with the ground realities and suggestions after the members of the panel met the Punjab CM. In order to address the factionalism in the state unit, a three-member panel had been set up by Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi.

    It is to be noted that Rahul Gandhi has held meetings with Punjab Congress MLAs, MPs, and other important leaders from the state, including PCC Cheif Sunil Jakhar. On Friday, the leaders who reached Rahul Gandhi’s residence to attend a meeting included Vijendra Singla, Rana Gurjit Singh, RS MP Shamsher Singh Dhillon, and MLA Lakhvir Singh.

    Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Dhillon while speaking to mediapersons had said that the meeting was held to resolve infighting in the Punjab Congress and added that decisions were made to strengthen the party in the upcoming elections in the state.

    Gandhi on Wednesday met many senior Punjab leaders including Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunil Jakhar, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Harish Rawat in Delhi amid escalating infighting in the party’s state unit.

    Punjab Assembly polls, scheduled for next year, are being considered crucial for Congress as it is one of the few states where the party is still in power.

    In 2017 Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats.

  • Arvind Kejriwal promises 300 free electricity units, 24×7 supply in Punjab if AAP wins 2022 polls

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Ahead of assembly elections in Punjab next year, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday promised 300 units of free electricity per month for each household in that state if his Aam Aadmi Party wins the polls.

    ਪੰਜਾਬ ਇੱਕ ਨਵੇਂ ਬਦਲਾਅ ਦੇ ਵੱਲ ਵਧ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਐਲਾਨ। ਪ੍ਰੈੱਸ ਕਾਨਫ਼ਰੰਸ | LIVE https://t.co/FTmXsVpM08
    — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 29, 2021

    The AAP leader also promised round-the-clock power supply in Punjab and waiver of pending electricity bills if his party is voted to power.

    A day before his visit to Chandigarh on Tuesday, Kejriwal had said his party, if voted to power in Punjab, will provide free electricity. “…In Delhi we provide 200 units of free electricity to every family. The women are very happy. Women in Punjab are also very unhappy with inflation. The AAP government will also provide free electricity in Punjab. See you tomorrow in Chandigarh,” Kejriwal had tweeted in Punjabi on Monday.