Gurdaspur: Enthused by the massive response to his roadshow on the last day of campaigning for the Gurdaspur by-poll on Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh expressed confidence of winning the by-election with a “historic” margin.
“We
would win this seat with a margin of over two lakh votes”, he told reporters
during an informal chat. Accompanied by the party’s nominee, Sunil Jakhar, AICC
General Secretaries Asha Kumari and Harish Chaudhry, and Rajya Sabha MP, Pratap
Singh Bajwa, among others, Captain Amarinder said that his government had not
only implemented many of its poll promises but had also set the ball rolling
for bringing the beleaguered state economy back on track.
“Be
it enhancement of pensions under social welfare schemes or our promise of
providing jobs, every election promise that we made is in the process of
implementation”, he said reiterating that the decade long legacy of the
previous Akali-BJP regime cannot be wiped out within a short span of 6 months
or so. The Chief Minister said that his government was also working on a plan
to implement its promise of providing smart phones to youth.
On
the issue of crop loan waiver to farmers, the chief minister said that Punjab,
unlike some other states, had decided to waive off loans up to Rs 2 lakh for
farmers with up to 5 acres of land and an outright relief of Rs 2 lakh each to
other small and marginal farmers, irrespective of their loan amount. “This will
benefit 10.25 lakh of the 13 lakh farming families who borrowed loans”, he said
while ridiculing the opposition for attempting to negate the work done by his
government.
The
Chief Minister said that all steps were being taken to provide timely payment
to farmers against their paddy crop in the ongoing procurement season. In
response to a question, the chief minister said that despite the financial
constraints, his government had sanctioned money for projects worth Rs 750
crores in Gurdaspur and Pathankot and work had already started on many.
Captain
Amarinder Singh also denied any rift in the party over the allotment of ticket
to Jakher and said that Pratap Singh Bajwa had never stayed away from
campaigning. “Like me, he too had some commitments in Delhi, which he fulfilled
and joined the campaign”, he said.
Replying
to a question PPCC President and the party nominee for the by-poll, Jhaker said
that Langah’s rape case had hurt hard-core Sikh sentiments and demoralised SAD
party workers. He said that allegations against Salaria were too of a grave
nature but he would not like to comment on them. “We are fighting the elections
on a positive agenda. They would have to pay for what they have done”, he said.
Amidst
shouting of slogans “aa gaya captain; chhaa gaya captain” and “Captain Amarinder
Zindabad”, the chief minister said that the stupendous response to his roadshow
made it quite evident that Jakhar will win the by-poll with a massive mandate.
He said that he was overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on him by
the people of Gurdaspur constituency.
He
said that his previous visits to Gurdaspur and Pathankot on Independence Day
and Dusherra respectively had evoked the same response from the people and he
was grateful for it. He promised that Jakher will effectively raise the voice
of the people of this constituency in Lok Sabha and fight for their rights.
Thousands
of people had lined up to welcome Captain Amarinder Singh on the entire route
of the road show that began from Road New Chakki Bridge in Pathankot and culminated
in Batala. Party MLAs from the districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Batala
joined the Chief Minister during the road show in their respective
constituencies.
People
lining the roads showered flowers and garlands on Captain Amarinder Singh as
his roadshow passed the streets of Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Batala. Waving the
Congress flags, drum beating party supporters could be seen waving frantically
to Captain Amarinder, who smiled all the way as he waved back at the crowds
that surged all along the roadshow route.
Shopkeepers
came out in large numbers as the roadshow went through the market areas. Even
the highways resonated with pro-Congress slogans as a tireless Captain
Amarinder spent the entire day, till the close of campaigning, on the road.
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