The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced that Shiromani Akali Dal will declare its candidates for the next assembly elections at an appropriate time and winnability would be the criteria for selection of candidates.Addressing a press conference at village Kharunj during sangat darshan in the villages of the area, the Deputy Chief Minister also declared that main contest in the 2017 general assembly elections would be between Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress party. S. Badal categorically dismissed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a major player and said AAP has betrayed the trust and mandate of the people of Delhi by doling out tickets to the tainted persons and bestowing goodies and political posts to each MLA.Taking a strong dig at Captain Amarinder Singh, the Deputy Chief Minister exuded confidence that the PPCC Chief would have to face defeat for the 3rd time in 2017 and the famous phrase ‘third time lucky won’t prove to be true in his case’.
S. Badal also informed that the state government is mulling legal options over a recent judgement of the Supreme Court declaring as null and void the decision of the state government to give ownership rights of lands in the border areas around the riverbeds to the peasants ploughing them.Declaring the SAD-BJP government as farmer friendly, S. Badal said the Badal government has done a lot for the welfare of the farming community and given power worth Rs. 5000 crore free of cost to the farmers. Stating on to the law and order issue, S. Badal divulged that the persons responsible for the Abohar incident would not be spared and soon be brought to the book.Earlier, the Deputy CM distributed development grants worth crores to the villages namely Chak Jandwala, Chak Panjkohi, Chak Kabarwala, Roranwala and Kharunj during Sangat Darshans. He announced that the ‘Phirnis’ of all the villages would be concretised and so would the streets and drains. He also announced financial grants to build dharamshalas, sports grounds, anganwadi centers, boundary walls around the schools.
In a major announcement, he said that if any village panchayat makes the panchayati land available then the people belonging to the poor sections of the society would be given 5-5 marla lands for dwelling houses.He also disclosed that the state government has taken major policy initiatives e.g. health and accidental insurance cards, tirath yatra scheme and advertising 1.5 lakh jobs for the youth. He also said that the state government officers would visit all the villages and help the people in getting health insurance smart cards made.On the occasion, DC Ravinder Singh, SSP Indermohan Singh Bhatti, MLA Gurtej Singh Ghuriana, Halqa Incharge Satinderjit Singh Manta, District President Gurpal Singh Grewal, Chairman District Planning Board Prem Valecha, Vice President Punjab Agro Ashok Aneja, Vice President Nagar Council Satinder Singh Savi, Jesrat Singh Sandhu, Om parkash Kamboj, Akali leader Jagsir Billu were also present.