Congress to function as power opposition – Zail Singh

From Our Special Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 12

Mr Zail Singh, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, said here today that the Congressmen had accepted with full grace the verdict of the electorate in the mid-term elections in Punjab.

In a statement, he said, “We have lost a battle undoubtedly but we are sure to win our war against the reactionary, communal and divisive forces.

He expressed his gratitude to the lakhs of voters who had reposed their confidence in the policies of the Congress.  To him it was encouraging that the total number of votes secured in 1969 by the Congress was over three lakhs more than that in the 1967 General Election.

The State Congress Committee chief added that the Congress Party in the new Vidhan Sabha would function as a powerful and healthy Opposition.  The talk of coalition “is being circulated only by the vested or ill-informed elements.”

He said that the Punjab Congress had suffered a set-back at the hands of the forces of reaction, communalism and opportunism and added that the coming into the forefront of the Akali-Jan Sangh axis was not a good men for the collective and ultimate good of the people in the State.  It was in fact a backward leap and its adverse impact would be felt in the future.

“It has not been a vote of opinion, but a vote of sentiment, exploited by an unholy and unscrupulous intermingling of religion with politics,” he said.  According to him the Marxist Communists in Punjab were guilty of strengthening rank reactionaries and of facilitating a counter-revolution against all progress.

He was sorry that the Congress stalwarts had been defeated, “but then in a democracy every voter has the right to be wrong if his judgement and put his desire change in the wrong direction.”

Mr Zail Singh was of the view that it was a temporary phase and that the people would soon be disillusioned of such elements.  He reiterated his resolve to carry on the “fight with greater vigour, devotion and zeal in the future.”