Post-poll, AAP may join hands with Congress in state as well: Arora

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, May 30

A senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjeev Arora, has said the ruling AAP and the main Opposition Congress may join hands in the state as well after the June 1 General Election.

At present, both parties, which are part of the INDIA bloc, are fighting the poll separately in Punjab while they were contesting jointly in state capital Chandigarh, neighbouring Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat as well.

The statement assumes significance as it came day after AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that his party had not married the Congress and was in alliance with it just for this election.

Arora, who is the lone of the seven Rajya Sabha MPs of the AAP from the state, who is actively participating in the electioneering and pushing hard for the victory of party nominee Ashok Parashar Pappi in Ludhiana, said the top leaderships of both parties were in favour but local state units opposed the AAP-Congress pre-poll alliance in Punjab.

A leading industrialist-turned-politician said all party MPs and other leaders should wholeheartedly work for the victory of AAP in the state and elsewhere.

Not only in Ludhiana, Arora also put his weight behind AAP candidate from Fatehgarh Sahib LS constituency Gurpreet Singh GP during campaigning on Thursday.

On the last day of the campaigning, they visited three industrial units of Ludhiana district — Arisudana Industries Limited, Deepak Fasteners Limited and Ganga Acrowools Ltd, which fall in the Fatehgarh Sahib segment.

Gurpreet addressed industrial workers at industrial units and made an appeal to vote for him. He highlighted development works done by his party during the two years in the state. He said his party was committed to working for the people of the state and assured to take up public issues with the state and centre, if voted to power.

Among others, Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura was also present. In Ludhiana, the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Punjab) held an interaction meeting with Arora to discuss its issues and demands.

During the interaction, industrialists appreciated Arora for considering their demands raised in the previous meeting held last year. They said they were grateful to Arora for not only considering their demands but also taking them at suitable platforms, including with the state and the Centre, besides highlighting issues in the Rajya Sabha. Most of the issues taken up in the last meeting were either resolved or were in stage of resolution/ acceptance.

They pointed out that Arora was doing regular follow-ups with the ministries and departments concerned.

They raised fresh and pending issues concerning the state and the Centre as well. The issues were raised during a panel discussion. The issues included encroachments along roads, poor living standard due to the pathetic condition of vehicular traffic and air pollution, heavy penalties being imposed by the PSPCL on installation of sub-meters, shortage of labour, lack of quarters for the industrial labour, delay in giving approval of building plans for industries, implementation of hypothecation tax and disconnection of complete power connection in case of violation found by the PPCB.

Issues related to the Income Tax Department and the GST were also raised. A demand was raised to set up a mega textile park in the city to give a boost to the industry. It was also demanded that an exhibition centre should be set up at Ludhiana.

In his address, Arora narrated works that have been completed. He said some works were under progress and others were in the pipeline due to his initiatives. He had already given a big push to many projects such as the Halwara airport, upgrade of the Civil Hospital and ESI Hospital, four bridges on Sidhwan Canal and upgrade of Ludhiana and Dhandari Kalan railway stations. He had already resolved the issue of imported Chinese fabric to some extent after fixation of price. Elevated road project had been speedily completed. Besides, he had been working for the setting-up of 21-km-long cycle tracks in Ludhiana and the RoB on the Doraha-Neelon road. Most of the focal point roads had been reconstructed. He assured that he would keep on working for the growth of industry in the future also.

Ram Niwas Goel, Speaker, Delhi Vidhan Sabha, was also present. He said he was happy to learn that the local industrialists were satisfied with the working of Arora. The AAP had 10 members (seven from Punjab and three from Delhi) in Rajya Sabha, who were raising public issues in the Upper House. There was a need to elect AAP candidates for the Lok Sabha. He asked the industry and people of the state to elect the AAP candidates with a thumping majority in the elections.

Among others, Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Punjab) president Rajnish Ahuja and convenor Rahul Ahuja also spoke.

Doing my duty: Arora

When almost all RS MPs of AAP, especially in Punjab, were missing from action, Arora has been actively participating in electioneering and throwing all his weight behind party nominee Ashok Parashar Pappi in Ludhiana and Gurpreet Singh GP in Fatehgarh Sahib. On what made him choose a different line from his other parliamentarian colleagues, the AAP MP said: “I do what the party tells me to and also it is my moral duty to help my party colleague, who has been nominated from Ludhiana, which is my home town, and other colleagues to fight the poll. I am not sure if other colleagues from the Rajya Sabha are actively participating in elections or not. However, I am sure in one way or the other all must be helping our party to win in the forthcoming elections.”

“Senior leadership of both parties tried to work out and patch up in the state too but local state leaders did not agree. I am sure after the elections, if required, it would be worked out,” he said.