Sukhbir: Will pay them back in same coin once voted to power
SAYS THE RULING PARTY RIGGED ZILA PARISHAD AND PANCHAYAT SAMITI POLLS BY RESORTING TO VIOLENCE, HOOLIGANISM
CHHAPAR (LUDHIANA): Accusing the ruling Congress of rigging the recently held zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections with its workers resorting to violence and hooliganism, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday said his party will pay them in the same coin after coming to power.
The SAD chief said this while addressing the party’s annual political conference on the occasion of annual Chhapar Mela at a banquet hall near the village.
“Police helped the Congress workers in booth capturing. We have nearly 700 videos which clearly show the election was rigged. In Patiala, chief minister Capt Amarinder SIngh’s home district, the Ghanaur station house officer (SHO) along with a Congress leader was seen flashing the victory sign soon after the election. Sadly, the state election commission also became a party
to this as it failed in its duty to ensure free and fair poll,” he said.
He said the state of affairs during the polls could be gauged from the fact that Muktsar SSP Manjit Dhesi, who is the brother of the chief minister’s officer on special duty (OSD), accompanied the Congress goons when they captured booths in the Lambi assembly constituency. He urged the party workers to attend the Patiala rally on October 7 in large numbers and make it a success.
Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who was hailed by senior Akali leaders as ‘Majhe da Jarnail’ as the party won four zila parishad and 28 panchayat samiti seats in the belt, said the police officers and Congress workers who took law in their
hands would be held accountable as per the law of the land. “We will fight all the false cases registered against Akali workers,” he said.
Party spokesperson Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal said the Congress came to power by tainting Punjabis as drug addicts.
“As many as 23 youngsters have died in the past 15 days due to drug overdose, but the Congress is mum over the issue,” he said. Others present at the rally included Sahnewal MLA Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali and former Lok Sabha deputy speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal.
AYALI FALLS FROM STAGE, HURT
A stampede-like situation prevailed during the end of the rally. Some people to take a selfie with Sukhbir rushed towards the stage, as a result of which SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, who hosted the rally, fell from the stage and sustained minor injuries.