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Sukhbir’s ‘image re-branding’ attempt criticised

CHANDIGARH: The Congress MLA from Qila Raipur in Punjab, Jasbir Singh Khangura, has accused Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal of indulging in a publicity gimmick by moving around Ludhiana city in a private vehicle recently “supposedly like a common man, but without any sincere attempt at solving real problems”.

In a statement over the weekend, Mr. Khangura said this attempt at “image re-branding” was clearly done in preparation for assuming the chair of the Chief Minister, which the junior Badal had been coveting for a long time.

Mr. Khangura said Mr. Badal was attempting to imitate the Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi who has been mingling with the people across the country. “Nothing wrong in learning good lessons, but the effort should be sincere and not just a PR exercise,” the MLA said adding that Mr. Badal should learn from Rahul to empathise with the problems of the masses, the downtrodden, the marginalised, the deprived and underprivileged as well as seek solutions to their problems constructively.

“Moving around the city like a common man does not wash Sukhbir’s past sins. This is an insult to the intelligence of the people of Punjab,” Mr. Khangura said adding that Mr. Badal’s belief of being a master electoral tactician was nothing more than a delusion that would be exposed in the next Assembly elections.

He pointed out that within 24 hours of interacting with ordinary persons at Ludhiana, Mr. Badal’s insecurities prevailed at Amritsar where, for the visiting Canadian Prime Minister’s function, he denied invitations to persons who were clearly better communicators than him.

Describing him as a “failed MP and Union Minister, who would now fail Punjab too,” Mr. Khangura said: “No amount of gloss can now address the fact that Sukhbir today is the least-trusted politician in Punjab. He has failed to clarify his wealth and has consistently failed to control his temper.”

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