MAUR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the Arvind Kejriwal – Bhagwant Mann ‘jodi’ would be roundly rejected by Punjabis as they had seen through the Aam Aadmi Party’s conspiracy to foist Kejriwal on them by projecting Mann as a dummy face of the party in the State.
The SAD President, who was talking to Media persons here, during his campaign tour in favour of party candidate Jagmeet Singh Brar, said contrary to the claims of AAP that the Kejriwal-Mann ‘jodi’ would strengthen its chances in the State, the opposite was true. “People have seen with their own eyes that it is Kejriwal who is the real chief minister in waiting and that Mann has been projected as the chief ministerial face following a fake survey only to deceive Punjabis. Voters will not be deceived by such cunning moves and will reject the ‘jodi’ completely. They will not even reach double digits”.
Mr Sukhbir Badal while addressing the gathering here said a pro-SAD-BSP and pro-development wave was sweeping the State and would culminate in the installation of the next SAD-BSP government. “Hundreds of AAP and Congress workers are joining the SAD daily”. He said people had realized that the erstwhile government led by S Parkash Singh Badal had not only brought in infrastructure projects and revamped the road and irrigation network besides introducing air connectivity, but had also looked after the under-privileged by introducing unique social welfare schemes”.
He said the party was committed to carrying forward this legacy and this was why it had decided to give Rs 2, 000 per month to women heads of below poverty line (BPL) families in the State. He said similarly a comprehensive policy was being made to ensure quality education in rural areas by creating mega schools with modern facilities in each block. “We are also committed to encourage students studying in government schools by reserving 33 per cent seats for them in technical educational institutions and bearing the cost of their education”. He said students would also benefit by way of the Rs 10 lakh student card which would enable them to pursue higher education in India and abroad.
Meanwhile Mr Badal also termed the reduction in the fertilizer subsidy in the recent budget as unfortunate and demanded that the decision be reviewed immediately. He said it was shocking that finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had reduced the fertilizer subsidy by around Rs 35, 000 crores. “This step will hurt the farming community in the state with Punjab alone set to lose a fertilizer subsidy quotient of Rs 3141 crore. This will also lead to an increase in the price of Urea and DAP fertilizer which will also affect Punjab farmers the most as they are the highest per hectare consumers of fertilizers in the country”.
Responding to the request made by Jagmeet Brar, the SAD president announced to upgrade the Civil Hospital Maur, open a college for the town, to allow registration of shops in the mandi, and also to give special grant to Maesarkhana village.
Prominent businessmen from Maur Mandi including Mohan Lal Garg, Sohan Lal Garg, Manoj Garg and their families joined the SAD on the occasion._