The ruling Congress and the Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab are all set to hold rallies in each other's strongholds on Sunday in an attempt to showcase their political strength.
While the Akali Dal will hold a protest rally in Patiala – the home constituency of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh — the Congress has decided to organise a rally in Lambi's Killianwali over the “sacrilege” issue. Lambi is the stronghold of the Akali Dal and is currently represented by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the Assembly.
Show of strength
Ahead of their slated rallies, senior leaders of both the parties are confident of outdoing each other, politically. Capt. Amarinder on Saturday said: “My government has taken many initiatives in the last 18 months to rebuild Punjab and take it to greater heights. We are tackling the drug menace, helping farmers and facilitating employment. Will share details with the people on October 7 at the rally in Lambi.”
The Akali Dal's rally, apart from highlighting the alleged repression by the ruling Congress in the recently concluded rural polls, would focus on putting pressure on the government to solve the several problems being faced by the people.
“Tomorrow’s [Sunday] rally in Patiala will expose the tyranny, cheap politics and anti-people policies of the Congress government. The people of Punjab have made SAD’s previous rallies successful and I am sure we will create a new benchmark tomorrow with their support,” tweeted SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
“This [Congress] government has brought governance, development and social welfare activity in the State to a halt. The rally would be the first in a series of initiatives by the Akali Dal to enforce accountability on the ruling party for its failure to honour its manifesto commitments,” said senior Akali leader Harcharan Bains.
The women wing of the Akali Dal, meanwhile, accused the Congress of creating obstacles in the way of women activists’ journey to Patiala for the rally.
“There have been reports that the government is putting restrictions in its bid to scuttle the movements of the party activists,” alleged the president of Istri Akali Dal, Jagir Kaur.
Grand rally
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Saturday said that the party was prepared for a grand rally and would expose the misdeeds of Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal against the ‘Panth’ (Sikh community) and how they damaged the authority of religious institutions,” he said.