Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Sunday ruled out an alliance with the ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’, but said the front floated by cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu is welcome to merge with the Congress.
Addressing a press conference here, Capt. Singh said anyone was welcome to join the party, but only without pre-conditions and seat adjustments. He dismissed claims by Navjot Kaur Sidhu that the couple were in talks with the Congress’ senior leadership in New Delhi.
“There are no talks between any Congress leader and Navjot Singh Sidhu. They should also tell us who they were in contact with,” he said.
He said the State leadership would be aware if any talks took place. Besides, he added, the central leadership would keep State leaders in the loop if such developments took place.
Accusing Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of embezzling Rs 32,000 crore in food grain scam, Capt. Singh said if the Congress comes to power, it will recommend a CBI probe into it.
“We will hold him accountable for every penny,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress has shortlisted 600 out of 1,600 applications for party tickets for contesting the upcoming Assembly elections.
The party has introduced strict conditions that all prospective candidates need to meet in order to be considered for final selection, said Capt. Singh, asserting that credibility and winnability would be the only criteria.
A four-member committee, headed by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Laal Singh, has been set up to screen those wanting to join the party in the run-up to the election, he said.
The Punjab Congress is also set to kick off its farmer outreach campaign to reach out to every household in the State, beginning with a door-to-door drive from October 12, he said.
Unrolling the campaign strategy here, Capt. Singh said that in the first phase, from October 12 to October 25, party workers will engage with more than 25 lakh households.
The party will establish direct contact with 75 lakh voters, reaching out to more than two crore people in this period.
Earlier, at a party meeting, Capt. Singh rolled out the programme blueprint and assigned targets for party workers.-PTI
