Mayor poll: Bugga questions SAD support to AAP

Senior Congress leader Sanjeev Bugga has strongly criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over its support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate in the Phagwara Municipal Corporation mayoral election. Bugga, who was the mayoral candidate from the Congress, asked whether a political deal was struck between SAD and AAP over the former’s support. He was speaking at a meeting with his supporters here today.

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Referring to recent statements made by SAD councillor Kamaljeet Kaur and former councillor Kulvinder Singh Kinda, Bugga for not supporting the Congress candidate for mayor, he said it had become evident that Akali Dal backed the AAP candidate whom they had vehemently opposed during the municipal elections. He accused the Akali leadership of betraying their voters and challenged them to justify their decision to their supporters.

Slamming the Akali Dal for alleged political opportunism, Bugga remarked that their shifting alliances reveal their lack of ideological commitment. He added that those associated with such politics should feel ashamed.

Responding to accusations against the Congress regarding alleged fake police encounters, Bugga countered that SAD supremo Parkash Singh Badal held the Chief Minister’s office three times between 1997 and 2017. If the Congress was guilty, then why did the Akali government fail to act against them during its tenure?

Bugga further accused Akali Dal of indulging in divisive politics, misleading the people of Punjab and instigating unrest while blaming others. Taking a dig at SAD leaders, he suggested that they should have listened to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s views on their party before extending support to AAP.