Sangrur, December 8
Despite all odds in the presence of an impressive gathering of thousands while launching the Congress campaign for the ensuing Lok Sabha (LS) elections in the complex of a marriage palace here today, chairman of the Congress campaign committee Capt Amarinder Singh warned the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) against indulging in rigging and booth-capturing at during the LS elections as the Congress would depute 100 to 200 persons, armed with lathis, at every polling booth to stop “goondagardi” (hooliganism) by the Akalis and ensure free and fair elections.
Capt Amarinder Singh said as chairman of the campaign committee he had planned this arrangement as the SAD had not only indulged in rigging and booth-capturing during the previous Panchayat elections, but also “murdered” 48 Congressmen to win the elections. He said president of the SAD Sukhbir Singh Badal had sent representatives of the Student Organisation of India (SOI) to Bihar and West Bengal (WB) to see how rigging or booth-capturing was done there by parties. He said if the Akalis would use force to win the LS elections, the Congress would use double force to give a befitting reply.
Amarinder said the Congress would also take up the matter with the Election Commission of India to declare Punjab as a sensitive state during the LS elections, besides deploying Central forces to ensure holding of free and fair elections in the state. He said if free and fair
elections were held in the state, the Congress would win all 13 seats.
Regarding a rift in the Congress over his today’s campaign programme, Amarinder said the votes would not be cast by those persons who had been opposing his Sangrur campaign tour, but these were the people who would cast votes to make the Congress government at the Centre as this election was neither of Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s nor of Mohinder Singh Kaypee’s. He said not a single leader of the Congress high command had opposed his Sangrur campaign programme.
With regard to declaration of candidates by the Congress, he said these would be announced at an appropriate time. He also said he would send his list of candidates for consideration to the Congress high command after touring entire state. Regarding candidature of president of the Lok Bhalai Party Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Amarinder said he had asked Ramoowalia to first merge his party with the Congress then his name would be considered for Sangrur seat.
Among others who addressed the gathering included MLA from Sherpur Harchand Kaur Ghanauri, MLA from Dirba Surjit Dhiman, MLA from Malerkotla Razia Sultana, former minister Partap Singh Bajwa, and local former Congress MLA Arvind Khanna. President of the Punjab Youth Congress Vijay Inder Singla, MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh and former minister Jasbir Singh Sangrur were also present on the occasion. Former MLA from Dhuri Dhanwant Singh and Rajinder Deepa from Sunam joined the Congress in the presence of Capt Amarinder Singh.
