Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the battle for Amritsar was an electoral battle for a better future for the holy city and that only BJP candidate Arun Jaitely had the capacity to take the city to the next level of development.Addressing a public meeting of the Swarankar Bhaichara organised in Amritsar South by Inderbir Singh Bolaria, the SAD President said there was no comparison between BJP candidate Arun Jaitely and Congress candidate Capt Amarinder Singh. "On the one side you have a reluctant contestant in Capt Singh who publically stated that he would not be able to do justice to Amritsar and its people before he was forced into the contest. On the other hand is Jaitely Sahab who will occupy an important ministry in the forthcoming NDA government and will be able to remove all the bottlenecks coming in the way of development of Amritsar".
Badal said there was an urgent need to restart international flights from Amritsar. "We also need to increase the number of goods which can be traded with Pakistan". Stating that these were issues which only a central minister could resolve, he said voting for Amarinder was akin to wasting one's vote as there was no chance of the Congress forming the next government at the centre".Speaking about development work done in Amritsar, the Deputy chief minister said he was supervising the various development works in the city in a systematic manner. "The city bus service is running successfully. The fly overs and over bridges built in the city are there for all to see. A metro bus service on international pattern will also be put in place within two years".Stating that this however was only the start, he said "we are looking at Jaitely Sahab for construction of eight to ten more fly overs besides an industrialisation drive in the border area through a special package".The SAD president said Capt Amarinder had nothing to offer to the city.
He has come for the duration of the campaign and will never be seen again. His level of commitment to the city can be measured from the fact that he did not come to the city for nearly ten days after he was given the party ticket. Even now he is behaving like a decadent royal who expects people to know- tow to him and not the other way round. The people are no longer enamored by such feudal ways and will treat his candidature with the contempt it deserves", he said adding "Jaitely Sahab is here to stay and destined to script a new bright future for Amritsar".Prominent amongst others, Mr. Bikram singh Majithia, President Youth Akali Dal and Mr. Amarpal Singh Boni Ajnala were also present on this occasion. Later, Mr. Badal addressed two more public meetings besides holding meetings with the representatives of more than dozen associations and groups from the city.