Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 5

The crisis within the Congress seems to be deepening with Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring raising questions over the functioning of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. Warring has accused Manpreet of adopting pick-and-choose policy while releasing funds.

Speaking to The Tribune over the phone today, Warring said: “Yesterday, Manpreet had come to Madhir village here to attend a bhog ceremony of his distant relative, who is still an Akali. He announced Rs 30 lakh for the discharge of water from village pond, even though on member of the village panchayat was present there.”

He said: “Manpreet recently announced some funds for Fattanwala village in the memory of his close relative. Similarly, he recently announced some funds at the bhog ceremony of the mother of his close aide in Bathinda town. Further, he sanctioned development funds for a municipal ward in Muktsar town, where the councillor is his close aide.”

Warring said: “I ask the Finance Minister to release funds for government colleges as well, which were announced in the first budget of the present government. Major construction work of these colleges is still pending. Further, Kotbhai to Bhallaiana is a planned road in Gidderbaha and I have repeatedly requested to all those concerned to release funds for its repair, but to no avail. Similarly, nearly 50 village ponds in Gidderbaha require funds for cleaning. The funds should be released for these villages too.”

Manpreet was not available for comment, but his brother-in-law Jaijeet Singh Johal ‘Jojo’ said: “Manpreet had gone to attend a bhog ceremony at Madhir village, where some Congressmen met him and requested him to announce funds for the village pond’s pipeline. Being the Finance Minister, he simply announced it. Warring should be happy to have received funds for his constituency rather than making it an issue.”

A few days ago when former MLA Bathinda-cum-SAD leader Sarup Chand Singla raised the issue of alleged illegal mining in Bathinda, accusing Manpreet and Jojo, Warring had shared the video on social media and demanded a probe.