DW BUREAU / Hoshiarpur

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said that both Congress and BJP played friendly matches taking turns in power for five years each.

Mann has intensified his campaign for the by-elections scheduled on November 23 for four seats. On Wednesday, he addressed two huge rallies in Chabbewal and appealed to the people to vote for AAP candidate Ishank Chabbewal.

During his speech, Mann attacked the BJP and Congress. He said earlier they used to play a 'friendly match' and colluded with each other, taking turns in power for five years each. They didn't know that a third party, the Aam Aadmi Party, would come and hold them accountable for their misdeeds.

Mann said they had never cared for the people of Punjab, always putting their personal interests first. These parties benefited only their families and relatives. That's why in 2022, the public defeated the stalwarts and elected someone from among themselves, an ordinary person.

Mann said the BJP and the Congress leaders used to show up only during elections, but after the Aam Aadmi Party came to power, they had to change their strategy. Now, they have to step out of their palatial homes and beg for votes. He added that everyone knows who truly loves Punjab and who is working for their own selfish purposes.

He said that these people were born with silver spoons, they don't know the struggles of common people, and they are only running their political shops.

He said these parties had created such a situation that, even after 75 years of India's Independence, "We still haven't been able to get rid of the issues of the sewage system. They wanted people to remain uneducated because if they were educated, they would understand what is right and vote thoughtfully. That's why we had to enter politics. We focus on work. We talk about schools, hospitals, electricity, business, labourers, and farmers. We do not indulge in caste and religion-based politics."

He stated that for them, politics is not a business. They are here to serve the people. He shared that he had left his successful career as a comedian to serve the people. "Similarly, our national convenor Arvind Kejriwal resigned from his post as Income Tax Commissioner." Mann termed the election promises made by opposition parties as "lollipops".

He said, "We don't make hollow or false promises. We do what we say. Before the elections, we promised free electricity, and today 90 per cent of households get zero electricity bills. Over 45,000 youth have been given government jobs. More than 850 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been established, and we are turning government schools into world-class institutions. The promise to give Rs 1,100 every month to women will soon be fulfilled."

He said earlier, that people had to get treatment in private hospitals out of necessity because they didn't trust government hospitals. There were neither doctors nor diagnostic machines. "We have improved the condition of government hospitals and schools. People had to send their children to private schools for education because the government schools didn't offer proper education, nor did they have benches, desks, or books. We are now transforming them into Schools of Eminence and providing teachers training abroad."

He further mentioned that the previous governments did nothing, and for five years, their finance minister kept saying "The treasury is empty." I want to ask them, you neither built any roads nor any schools, colleges, or universities, so how did the treasury become empty? In reality, their intentions were empty. They never wanted to work.

He said that Congress and BJP are now in such a state that they don't even go to villages because they have nothing to show. "So, choose someone who will actually work for you," Mann urged. He also attacked former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, saying, "After becoming CM, his palace door remained closed for five years, and then in 2022, the public locked it from the outside and said, '+ char(39) +'Stay inside now.'+ char(39) +'"

The Chief Minister said that their focus is now on the development of villages.

"In the coming years, we will transform Punjab's villages, equipping them with all modern facilities. We will give Rs 5 lakh to each village that elects its Sarpanch unanimously," he added.
(editor@dailyworld.in)