Amarinder 'unleashing reign of terror' ahead of civic polls: BJP's Tarun Chugh

Chandigarh, February 10

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh Wednesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of "unleashing a reign of terror and violence" ahead of the February 14 civic polls in the state.

His remarks came a day after two persons were killed and as many injured in a clash between Congress and Akali Dal workers campaigning for the civic polls in Moga, while in a separate incident Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma's vehicle was allegedly attacked in Ferozepur by some unidentified people.

Sharma had gone there for a meeting with local party workers.

Chugh said the ruling Congress realises that it had "bleak chances" of winning the civic polls and was therefore "promoting goondaraj".

The Punjab chief minister has "let loose hordes of goondas "in the state to "stifle" the voices of the BJP, Chugh alleged in a statement here.                       

"Amarinder has subverted all democratic norms and has unleashed a reign of terror and violence in the state in the run-up to the municipal elections," he alleged.

"The writing on the wall for Amarinder is clear, so he is getting nervous and jittery and is seeking help of goondas and unlawful elements to cow down the BJP," alleged Chugh.

Reacting to the chief minister's statement that the BJP would be wiped out in the wake of the farm laws, Chugh said, "Amarinder's wishful thinking has made him blind to the ground realities."          

"He is living in a fool's paradise if he thinks that the BJP could be wiped out. Many Congress leaders in the past had such dreams in their eyes, but the BJP has only grown from strength to strength," he said.

The chief minister had on Tuesday said that the farm laws would spell the "death-knell" for the BJP.

Slamming the CM, Chugh accused the Congress-led dispensation of not fulfilling promises made to farmers in its election manifesto.

Elections to the eight municipal corporations and 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the state will be held on February 14.

The Moga incident took place Tuesday night when workers of both the parties came face-to-face in ward number 9 of the district, police said.

Both the factions first engaged in heated arguments over some issue which later led to the clash.

Akali workers, who were campaigning for the February 14 municipal polls, alleged that Congress activists ran their vehicles over them when they tried to flee.

One person died on the spot while another succumbed to injuries in a hospital in Ludhiana, said police.

A case under relevant sections including 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against Narinderpal Singh Sidhu, the husband of Congress candidate from ward number 9, and six others, said police.

Three persons including Sidhu have been arrested, said police adding that two vehicles had also been impounded. — PTI

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