Sukhbir Singh Badal, President Shiromani Akali Dal and Deputy Chief Minister Punjab today take the election campaign of his wife and SAD-BJP candidate from Bathinda constituency on the fast track. Sukhbir’s whirlwind tour of more than dozen villages of Bathinda constituency today raised the election heat to the peak level.A day before NDA’s prime ministerial candidate Mr. Narinder Modi’s rally here, Mr. Badal today addressed jam-packed public meeting in the villages Jatana Khurd, Ghuduwala, Sahnewali, Lalli Wali (Lalian Wali), Dasodia, Bhalike, Rama Nandi, Nangal Kalan, Channewala, Heer Ke, Chottian, Ali Ke and Aadam Ke of Bathinda constituency to appeal the voters in the favour of Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal.During these rallies Mr. Badal recalled the initiative taken by SAD-BJP government and especially by Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal for the development of the area and appealed the voters to vote for performance.
The gatherings in all these meetings responded enthusiastically to all the development initiatives counted by Mr. Badal by raising the slogans of ‘Shiromani Akali Dal Zindabad’, ‘Bibi Harsimrat Zindabad’ and ‘Badal Sahib Zindabad’. They also raised the slogans of ‘Ab ki baar Modi sarkar’. Focusing on the expected loss to the farmers because of untimely rains in this harvesting season while addressing these rallies, Mr. Badal promised that NDA government would introduce comprehensive crop insurance to secure the farmers against these unforeseen losses. He also promised that NDA would provide agricultural loans at cheaper rates of interest.
Badal said that there was multifold increase in the cost of production because of anti farmer policies of congress led UPA government. He assured that NDA would reverse this phenomenon besides ensuring that farmers should receive MSP as per the Swaminthan Formula, which includes assured markets at MSP 50% above cost of production for farmers produce.Appealing the youth to vote for SAD-BJP for better future of Punjab, Mr. Badal said that Modi-Badal-Jaitly relationship would ensure an economic package for Punjab with cent per cent waiver of Central excise and Income Tax to bring an industrial revolution in the state. He promised that once voted to power at centre NDA would ensure development of Manufacturing, Textiles, IT and tourism sector in the state to create abundant employment opportunities for the youth. He said that SAD-BJP government has done a marvelous job in promoting sports in the state and it would bring required funds from the NDA government.
Meanwhile, a number of local party leaders, party workers and common people assured Mr. Badal that this time a victory with more than 1 Lakh votes would not satisfy them and they wanted to witness that Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal registered victory with the maximum margin in India. The another interesting thing one could witness during Mr. Badal’s today’s campaign was that not only the massive gatherings in the rallies but the people who were working in the fields or homes because of the ongoing harvesting season were seen welcoming the cavalcade of Mr. Badal by waving their hands and raising slogans.