Chandigarh: “We will consider expectations of all sections of the society while preparing the manifesto of the Congress Party for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections,” said Chairman of the Punjab Congress Manifesto Committee, Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa while addressing the media at Punjab Congress Headquarter in Chandigarh on Friday. Bajwa was accompanied by former MLA of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sri Aadarsh Shastri.During the occasion, Bajwa put special emphasis on agriculture and farm distress and stated that Punjab is an agricultural state but the condition of farmers in the state is not good. “As the former Chief Minister Partap Singh Kairon had brought in prosperity for Punjab by preparing the ground for the Green Revolution under the leadership of former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress party will focus on the needs of agriculture sector while drafting the manifesto,” he said while adding the farmers will be encouraged for diversification.“There is a need to bring the second green revolution in the state. There is a need to come out of the wheat-paddy cycle,” Mr Bajwa said.
Sri Bajwa further added that the Congress will also focus on youth and women of the state and giving employment to the youth will be the second-biggest priority of the Congress. It is much important to stop the brain drain and to save Punjab. “Congress has always empowered the women of the society and it is due to the policies of the Congress party that today women are actively taking part in civil services,” he said.Sri Bajwa also revealed the party’s strategy for industrial development in the state and said the ports are located far away from Punjab and due to this the industrialists have to face losses. For this, the government will give concessions to the industry so that the industries in the state can flourish. “Congress will improve the economy of the state and will create employment opportunities,” he said.Sri Bajwa stated that Congress will also develop infrastructure in urban and rural areas and emphasis will also be laid on sports and cultural development in the state.He revealed that separate meetings have also been held by the Manifesto Committee with the Chief Minister and the Punjab Congress President and the party’s manifesto will be presented soon.
“We are not preparing the manifesto by just sitting in the four walls, the manifesto is being prepared by consulting the residents of the state and I assure that the Congress manifesto will address the expectations of all sections of society,” Mr Bajwa said.Meanwhile, Former AAP MLA Sri Aadarsh Shastri exposed the tall claims of Delhi’s CM Arvind Kejriwal and said that Kejriwal has not fulfilled the promises he made with the people of Delhi and now he is announcing fake guarantees in Punjab. “There was a surplus of Rs 60 thousand crores in the budget during Sheila Dikshit’s government and today despite surplus in the budget, the Kejriwal government has failed to give allowance of Rs 100 to the Delhi based women and here he is making fake promise to give Rs 1000 to women in Punjab,” he said.Sri Shastri added that by making changes in the liquor policy, the Kejriwal government has not only given a contract to the company of a person belonging to the Akali Dal, but a liquor vend has also opened in a building where there is an office of an MLA of his party.Sri Shastri also commented on selecting Bhagwant Mann as CM face from AAP and said that Mann has been selected as CM face with a motive to run Punjab’s has been done to run the government of Punjab through remote control from Delhi. He also asked Kejriwal to clear his stand on the issue of SYL.Both the leaders said that we are returning back in government and will implement all the commitments made in the manifesto. AICC media coordinator Bhupinder Singh Boora nd Gautam Seth,Co-Incharge,Organisation,PPCC moderated the press conference.