No power misuse, Opposition fearing defeat, says CM

A day before the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday attacked his political rivals, accusing them of making false allegations after sensing defeat in the rural elections.

Addressing the media, Mann, in his trademark rustic and humorous style, targeted the Congress over the “Rs 500 crore for chief ministership” controversy. He also criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal, saying the “B” in SAD(B) stood for “beadbi” and “badmashi”, and accused the party of using gangsters to threaten voters and of fielding a relative of a gangster in the Tarn Taran bypoll.

“The man who was the CM for 111 days (referring to Charanjit Singh Channi) is making irresponsible statements that 100 pre-printed ballot papers are being used in each constituency. He has sensed defeat and is thus making such baseless allegations. It will do him good if he concentrates on arranging the money to get the chief ministership or two deputy chief ministers berths. If the ruling party was misusing official machinery, why would there be 2,433 Congress and 1,814 Akali candidates contesting panchayat samiti poll? Three Congress and eight Independent candidates have already been declared elected unopposed in the elections,” he said.

Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had fielded candidates for all zila parishad and panchayat samiti seats, while rival parties were unable to contest all seats.

“AAP has fielded candidates on all 347 zila parishad seats, while the Congress could field candidates on just 331 seats, Akalis on 298 and BJP on 215. The same is true for panchayat samiti poll, where AAP had fielded candidates on 2,771 seats, Congress on 2,433, Akalis on 1,814, BJP on 1,127 and BSP on 195 seats,” he said.

He said many prospective candidates believed the Congress was in political doldrums after senior leaders failed to secure victories for their relatives in recent bypoll.

“Let me tell you, a political alliance is playing out on the ground. At many places, these three rival parties are supporting common candidates. These have joined hands against AAP. But people will vote for AAP—the only party that has credibility and delivers on promises. The public is impressed by the upgrading of school infrastructure, Aam Aadmi Clinics, construction of 43,000-km roads, government efforts in ensuring that water reaches tail ends in irrigation channels and shifting to canal irrigation from tubewell irrigation,” he said.