Ludhiana: Former Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal stalwart Parkash Singh Badal said yesterday that he will not campaign in the upcoming local body polls in the state as a mark of protest against the Congress government. Badal, 90, told reporters he decided not to campaign for Akali-BJP candidates as the Congress government in the state was turning the municipal council polls into a "farce" by its "bullying" tactics. 

"This government can declare any candidate a winner even if he is far behind the real winner," Badal alleged, without providing any basis for his accusations. Commenting on the 'dharnas' organised by the Akali-BJP combine throughout the state and the subsequent registration of cases by the police against these protesters, he said they were not going to be scared of such tactics even if they were sent to jails. They were born to fight against injustice, he added. 

The two parties have been protesting against the registration of "false" cases against SAD leaders and workers at the alleged instance of the Congress government.