In hIs fIrst ever interview with tehelka, punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh badal, tells gurvinder kaur that navjot singh sidhu’s new organisation will not affect the shiromani akali Dal (saD) vote bank. sukhbir is at his vitriolic best against Delhi Chief Minister arvind Kejriwal, who he says is an anarchist and dangerous for punjab.
He also accuses Kejriwal of hobnobbing with former naxals and radical sikh elements and asserts that he is asking the union home Ministry to verify all aap donations from abroad. he also avers that his father parkash singh badal will be the chief ministerial candidate and that the saD-bjp combine will form the government for the third time running in 2017.
Politics in Punjab is churning by the day and a new combination led by Navjot Sidhu is now emerging as a potent force. There is talk that since leaders of this new front Awaaz-e-Punjab were earlier aligned with the SAD-BJP combine, they will dent your votes.
See, there is always a mathematical calculation. This is the job of analysts. But as far as we are concerned, we believe in a more grounded reality. This is based on the pulse of the people. Mr Navjot Sidhu lost credibility after he first negotiated with AAP and then the Congress. Frustrated at not being appointed the chief ministerial candidate by AAP and not getting what he desired from the Congress, he has come out with this front. This front basically comprises of two professional agitationists — the Bains brothers (Simarjeet and Balwinder) whom no one wants to touch with a bargepole and Pargat Singh who, having lost touch with his constituents, has joined this group hoping for a revival of his fortunes. How can this band of disparate leaders make a dent in the SAD vote share which is broad-based and has stood the test of time? The 2017 elections will witness an increase in our vote share.
On what criteria do you base this assertion?
On performance alone. We have ushered in massive development in the last nine years. Be it making Punjab power surplus, new airports, massive road infrastructure spending money on rural development or improving facilities in towns and cities — we have done it all. We have catered to each and every section of society. People have witnessed a positive change and will reciprocate appropriately at the hustings.
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