Akali Dal alone can bring Punjab back on road to development: Sukhbir Badal

Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal on Friday said his party alone could bring Punjab back on the road to development even as he appealed to Punjabis to compare the work done by the successive SAD governments with that of the Congress and present AAP governments "which had taken the state back by 20 years".

The SAD president, who led the Punjab Bachao Yatra into Fatehgarh Sahib and Amloh constituencies, said: "Punjabis should decide whom they want to elect to power. A regional party with a proven track record of speedy development and unique social welfare schemes which cater to all sections of society, or scam-ridden Congress and AAP governments which have made life hell for them."

"SAD is known to fulfil all promises made to the people -- be it free power for farmers, old-age pension scheme, 'aata-daal' scheme or 'shagun scheme' -- all of which were initiated by it. In comparison, the Congress government promised a complete loan waiver to farmers but failed to keep its promise," he added.

He said the present AAP government had promised to eradicate the menace of drugs in weeks but only had presided over the expansion of the drug trade in the state.

"Punjab does not need such anti-Punjab governments who take their orders from Delhi," he said.

Claiming that Punjabis had seen through the conspiracies hatched to weaken the state’s only regional party, Badal said: "This is the reason why they are thronging in such large numbers to welcome the Punjab Bachao Yatra".

He said Delhi-based parties would never stand for or address the core issues of Punjab. "SAD on the other hand has taken a principled stand to safeguard the interests of Punjabis at all costs."