Sukhbir Singh Badal calls Kejriwal's poll promise 'bogus & deceptive just like Congress'

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday launched an attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal over the promises he is making ahead of the elections. Badal alleged that Kejriwal is "deceiving" the people of Punjab just like Congress, by asking women to fill up forms to get Rs 1,000 per month. The SAD chief said that former CM Amarinder Singh had made a similar move and launched ‘bogus’ camps for filling up forms.

Addressing two rallies at Tapa and Sunam in Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the AAP leader to explain why the party asked women to fill up forms if every woman will be getting the benefit of the scheme he announced. Alleging that the Congress had earlier run such schemes in the past, Badal said, "Earlier, (former chief minister) Amarinder Singh also got forms filled to give jobs to each household in Punjab. You know the outcome.”

“Now, Kejriwal is going down the same path by launching bogus camps for filling up forms to avail the Rs 1,000 monthly allowance announced by his party for women. I want to ask Kejriwal, will only those women who fill up the forms get the benefit of the scheme? If not, then why are you trying to fool Punjabis in this manner?" Badal asked, as cited by PTI.

Kejriwal wants to rule Punjab by 'hook or by crook': Badal

Furthermore, Badal also questioned the Delhi chief minister as to why the same scheme was not implemented in the national capital. Claiming that it is indeed a ‘bogus’ scheme, Badal alleged that Kejriwal wants to rule Punjab by "hook or by crook". Badal said, "That is why the AAP has not announced any chief ministerial candidate. It will announce the name of a dummy so that Kejriwal can grab the chief minister's chair himself if elected to power."

He further called it a "conspiracy" by AAP and said that Punjabis have already seen this. The SAD leader added that the people and would never "tolerate a rank outsider as their chief minister". "That is why people are leaving the AAP in droves," the former Punjab deputy chief minister said, adding, "You will see further desertions in the coming days.” Badal’s strong allegations came after Kejriwal launched a registration drive in Punjab on Tuesday stating that all women in the state will be given Rs 1,000 a month if the AAP claims power in the 2022 Assembly polls.

Kejriwal hits out at critics questioning AAP's poll promises

Earlier in November, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the opposition political parties criticising his party promises ahead of the Punjab polls. Kejriwal had said such political parties, including the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Akali Dal have been ruling for years and had already emptied the state's coffers. His statement had come after opposition parties criticised Kejriwal saying that the government's coffers will become empty if he transfers Rs 1,000 per month to all the women in Punjab. 

Image: PTI