SAD slams Cong over President`s rule in Punjab

Chandigarh: The Congress demand for President`s rule in Punjab drew a strong reaction from ruling Akali Dal, which termed it a "frustration-driven" call by a party which was "fast losing its political base".

SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal claimed the Congress was frustrated after foreseeing its "impending defeat" in the panchayat polls. The Congress demanded imposition of President`s rule in the state after political violence ahead of the panchayat elections that has so far claimed four lives. "Owing to the pro-people and development oriented policies of the SAD-BJP government, the alliance will register a massive victory in these polls and the Congress will once again be decimated from the state," Grewal said. Realising this, the Congress leaders are now resorting to political gimmicks by once again raising the "false" bogey of deteriorating law and order, whereas the Union government has itself termed Punjab as one of the most peaceful states in the country, Grewal claimed. He said Congress leaders should first take into consideration how law and order situation "has gone from bad to worst" in Delhi, which is ruled by their party. Rather than seeking a President`s rule for Punjab, the Congress leaders should demand the same for Delhi, Grewal said. People of Punjab would not get swayed away by these "political gimmickries" and would "teach a befitting lesson" to Congress in the coming polls, the SAD leader claimed. PTI