Captain, Sukhbir trade barbs day before elections

CHANDIGARH: In an exchange of barbs, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, on Sunday, hurled allegations and counter allegations at each other, before the Monday bypolls in four constituencies.

Dubbing the Akali chief’s brazen lies against the Congress government as a clear sign of his desperation in the face of imminent defeat, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday asked Sukhbir Singh Badal to be ready for another defeat at the hands of the voters in the bypolls.

Reacting to Sukhbir’s allegations of no development work under the Congress regime in the state, the CM quipped that the whole of Punjab knew that the Akalis had done nothing but ruined Punjab in the 10 years of their misrule. “You (Sukhbir) do not even know the meaning of development,” remarked Amarinder, pointing out that his (Congress) government had done more in two-and-a-half years than SAD-BJP did in a decade.

However, the SAD president was quick to challenge Capt, asking him to name any one development work done during his government. “I can understand your sense of frustration. Your handpicked candidates, including the self -styled junior Captain of Dakha, are facing a complete wipe out. Punjabis have turned their back on you by refusing to come to the three road-shows organized by you. You know your leadership itself will be in danger once the results are out,” said Sukhbir.

The SAD president also said that Captain was afraid of terming the election results of four bypolls in Punjab as a referendum on his government because he was convinced of an imminent defeat.

Expressing surprise at Sukhbir’s interpretation of his comments on a referendum on his government’s performance, the CM wondered at the logic of the Akali’s practice of interpreting every election as a referendum. “My government needs no referendum to endorse the work done by it in the past two and a half years, and the work it continues to do for the welfare of the people and the state,” he added.