Chandigarh: AICC general secretary and in-charge of party affairs of Punjab Shakeel Ahmed on Sunday called upon party members to uproot SAD-BJP alliance and free people from a "corrupt and incompetent" regime.
Ahmed was addressing a meeting of party leaders including MPs, MLAs, district and block presidents here at Congress Bhawan on his maiden visit to Chandigarh after taking over his new assignment.
Defeat of Congress in the last Assembly elections was shocking and against the expectations of party high command, he said and stressed that if Congress could win eight seats in the last Lok Sabha polls despite SAD-BJP alliance in power, it can also defeat the combine in the 2014 general elections.
People`s sentiment was now more against the SAD-BJP government due to corruption and non-governance and workers have to keep aside petty differences and work for a Congress victory, Ahmed said.
Hailing PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa, the AICC general secretary said the Centre had extended the Kolkata-Delhi industrial corridor up to Amritsar on Bajwa`s initiative.
Commenting on the recent visit of Narendra Modi to Punjab, Ahmed lashed out at the Gujarat Chief Minister and said he was against minorities and wants to stay in power by dividing communities.
On behalf of PPCC, he presented a cheque of Rs 2.50 lakh to Jaswinder Kaur the dalit girl of Tarn Taran who was assaulted by police.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said the party would not only return to power in the state, but will also win all seats in Lok Sabha.
Criticising Modi, Tewari said the day he was appointed head of BJP`s publicity committee, his decline had started. NDA had no partner and there were no chances of third front.
Union minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur said the SAD-BJP government had lost its sheen and total chaos prevails in Punjab.
Union minister of state for health Santosh Chaudhary said Congress is the only party caring about the poor and alleged that SAD-BJP government was misusing the central funds.
PTI
