‘No policy decision should be taken till govt formation’
CHANDIGARH Punjab Congress spokesman Sunil Jakhar on Monday accused the ruling SAD-BJP regime of “deserting the state, sensing defeat in elections”.
Talking to mediapersons at Congress Bhawan here, Jakhar said the Congress was confident of coming to power in the state and no policy decision should be taken till the next government is formed.
Referring to the Punjab State Regulatory Commission, he said the Congress has promised to cap power rates in its poll manifesto and the commission should not announce the new rates. “We have the handle to negotiate the power rates with private players and make it cheaper for not just industry but also the common man,” Jakhar said.
Claiming that the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue had turned volatile after Haryana’s INLD had asked people to reach Punjab and begin digging on their own, he said, “CM Parkash Singh Badal is not well. But what is the excuse of his son and deputy CM Sukhbir Badal? He seems to have abdicated the moral responsibility to look after the state’s interests. Sukhbir should be called a bhagora (absconder). He thinks, hoon Punjab khu wich jaave (let Punjab sink). It is a sinister design to leave the volatile SYL issue to the next government,” Jakhar said.
He also trained his guns at SAD ally BJP, saying the party was making its state president Vijay Sampla as a “scapegoat for its poor show in polls”.
“The blame lies at the door of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not poor fellow Sampla. Demonetisation of notes and party’s arrogance led to shift of BJP votebank of small traders, industrialists and urban voters towards the Congress. They do not want instability in state and have not voted for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP),” said the Congress leader.
JAKHAR SAYS POWER REGULATOR SHOULD NOT ANNOUNCE NEW POWER RATES; ACCUSES BADALS OF ‘DESERTING’ STATE, LEAVING SYL ISSUE TO NEXT GOVT