Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the Congress, Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had lost the race in Punjab as they were all pulling in different directions in direct contrast to the SAD-BJP alliance which was going to the polls as a united force.Laying the foundation stone of effluent treatment plant here at Tajpur Road worth Rs. 135 crore, Mr. Badal said the state of the Punjab Congress was such that it was finding it difficult to find candidates in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. "Senior Congress leaders are shunning the party ticket", he added.
Answering a question about the future of the Congress, PPP and AAP in Punjab, Mr. Badal said all three were looking for alliances and help from other parties as the people of the State were unwilling to repose faith in them. Reiterating the commitment of SAD-BJP to develop Punjab as No. 1 State in the country, Mr. Badal said development would be the poll plank of alliance which would showcase the work done by it in the last seven years. He said that on the other hand the Congress government at the Center was following its agenda of discrimination against Punjab but despite deliberate and constant hurdles put up by the UPA the State was progressing by leaps and bounds in all areas. He said now that the Congress hadnno issue to rake up against SAD-BJP alliance it's decimation was inevitable.
Badal said that all the development projects recently initiated by the state government would become operational within next two years. He said the sewerage treatment plant of Tajpur road would prove a boon not only for Ludhiana industrial units but for the entire Malwa region after one and half years. He said Ludhiana is all set to witness massive development as the Punjab Government has started the implementation of Rs. 2000 crore development projects in the city, which would be accomplished within next two and half years. He also announced to give scheduled road status to byepass road. Giving a call to traders community, Mr. Badal said the traders of the state should take full advantage of recently launched Rahat Scheme of Punjab Government and said soon this scheme would be expanded to the remaining towns of the state. He also announced that after six months the farmers will get on demand tube well connections as Punjab had become a power surplus state.Mr. Badal said that formation of NDA government was the dire need of the country. He said Mr. Narendra Modi was the only political personality in the country who had the vision to lead the country to new heights of success, development, progress, prosperity and growth.Earlier Mr. Ranjit Singh Dhillon, local MLA welcomed the Deputy CM and extended thanks for initiating development projects on large scale at Ludhiana. He assured Mr. Badal that the electorate would send Mr. Manpreet Singh Aiyali, SAD candidate to Parliament from Ludhiana. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Mr. Hira Singh Gabria, former minister.