PM’s rallies failed to enthuse voters: Channi

Jalandhar, May 25

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a rally for BJP candidates here, former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi called him ‘kaleshi’.

Addressing the media at his place this morning, Channi said: “Whenever PM Modi comes to Punjab, he leaves a trail of problems for people here. When he last came two years ago, he had courted a controversy raising security issues. This time again, his visit led to the house arrest and detention of several farmers across Punjab.”

Channi said the PM needs to correct his perception about Punjab and hardworking and innovative Punjabi farmers.

“He has been nurturing some kind of a grudge against them for the reasons best known to him,” he commented.

The Congress nominee for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat said the much-hyped PM’s rallies in Punjab could not enthuse the voters. “He made no new announcement for Punjab. He did not assure the farmers of the MSP. He had no roadmap for traders and industrialists of Punjab suffering because of the Centre’s wrong policies. He did not say if he had any plans on setting up a new university or a health institute of the standards of the PGI or AIIMS in Jalandhar. Voters are now saying ‘khodeya pahar, nikli chuhiya’.”

Channi said there was nothing for Jalandhar voters to get disenchanted about. “I today came up with a manifesto for the district. I will be bringing in new plans as per which we will bring prosperity for everyone be it the youth, doctors, industrialists or workers. We will encourage new start-ups. We will boost medical tourism here since it is an NRI hub. The forging industry can expect more support,” he said.