Taking a dig at the parachute candidate of SAD ,Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu Congress Candidate from Mohali challenged him for an open debate on development of Mohali. Addressing a huge meeting in Phase 5, Mr. Sidhu said that he has been serving this constituency for last more than 20 years and connects with all young and old. He is part and parcel of their lives and has seen the city grow in front of him. On the other hand Ramoowalia came in 20 days back and was sure that he does not even know total no of phases in the city or names of all the villages in the constituency. He said that he had full faith in the people of Mohali who will consider his 20 years vs 20 days of Ramoowalia when they decide whom they want to represent them and watch their interests in the Vidhan Sabha. Speaking on the occasion Suresh Kumar Lucky, local Municipal Councilor, said that people of Mohali are very wise and intelligent enough to see this and decide. He assured Mr. Sidhu that he shall be reelected with thumping majority and all other candidates shall lose their security deposits. Mr. Ghansham Bansal, President Karyana Merchant Associations extended the full support to Mr.Sidhu and said that members of the Association shall canvass votes for him and ensure that he is reelected from Mohali.
During his Padyatra, amidst dug up roads and puddles of muddy water, through various markets starting from Phase 10 he said that the Akalis claim on development is totally hollow and he challenges them for an open debate on this. During the `padyatra` he was welcomed by the shop-keepers of the different markets and establishments. He was garlanded at many places. It was felt that majority of population of Mohali still wnts to vote for a local leader, rather than the outsiders. Talking to the media persons, Sidhu said that it was the UPA Government in Centre who in all fairness had released crores of rupees for development of Punjab but the Akali Government could not even fully utilize these grants, as a result of which many grants lapsed. He said that because of this it was the people of Punjab who had lost out on development opportunities.