Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Highlights
- CM Channi has filed his nomination papers from Bhadaur (SC) seat
- Channi said the Congress party has directed him to contest from Bhadaur seat
- Punjab elections will be held in one single phase on February 20, results on March 10
With less than a month left for the Punjab assembly election, Congress state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday indirectly taunted chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi's decision to contest election from Bhadaur (SC) assembly seat in Barnala district saying passenger will be self-responsible for his belongings.
Addressing a presser, Sidhu said, " passenger will be self-responsible for his belongings." (सवारी अपने समान के खुद जिम्मेदार है)
Further speaking about the Punjab model, Navjot Sidhu talked about employment, saying according to their research, around 40 per cent of people say that employment is the main issue.
Hitting out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sidhu said in 2015, Kejriwal promised 8 lakh jobs, but only 440 people got it.
Sharing more on his Punjab model, Sidhu said they will create over 5 lakh skilled and non-skilled jobs every year and MNREGA will be increased from 260 to 350 and money will be directly transferred into bank accounts. All the labour in Punjab will be under this category only.
Also, the government will provide flour prepared from 5 grains, Sidhu said.
The industry does not have skilled labour, so training will be given to them to make them skilled, he said.
CM Channi filed his nomination papers from the Bhadaur (SC) seat in Barnala district today. After filing his nomination papers, Channi said the Congress party has directed him to contest from Bhadaur seat.
“I have come with a mission in Malwa (region),” he said, adding that this area is backward in terms of development.
"Though Capt (Amarinder Singh) and Badal sahib (Parkash Singh Badal) were there, the area lacked development,” he said while promising to uplift the area.
area.
Channi said he has come like 'Sudama' and hoped that people of the Malwa region will take care of him like 'Lord Krishna'.
“We will register a big win in Malwa,” said Channi who was flanked by senior Congress leader and former Union minister Pawan Bansal, whose son Manish Bansal is the party contestant from Barnala.
Asked about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's claim that he will lose from Chamkaur Sahib seat, Channi dared the AAP leader to contest against him from any constituency in Punjab.
“Let Kejriwal come and contest against me from any seat in Punjab,” he said.
Kejriwal on Sunday had taken a jibe at Channi for contesting from two seats, saying he was losing from the Chamkaur Sahib (SC) seat which the Congress leader currently represents.
The Congress on Sunday had fielded Channi from the second assembly seat Bhadaur (SC). Channi is also contesting from his home turf Chamkaur Sahib seat.
By fielding Channi from Bhadaur seat, the party was eying electoral gains in the politically significant Malwa region, which also has a good presence of Dalits in addition to their concentration in the Doaba area.
The Congress' move of fielding Channi from Bhadaur is also being seen as an attempt to check the AAP's influence in the Sangrur and Barnala districts.
Barnala district comprises three assembly segments—Barnala, Mehal Kalan and Bhadaur which fall under the Sangrur Parliamentary constituency, which is represented by AAP MP and party's CM face Bhagwant Mann.
Channi, who replaced Amarinder Singh last year, is the first chief minister of Punjab from the Scheduled Caste community.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ | 'Nakli Samajwad': PM Modi attacks Akhilesh Yadav in first virtual rally
ALSO READ | India TV Opinion Poll Punjab: Congress likely to emerge single largest party but may fall short of majority
