CHANDIGARH, July 16: Signalling an aggressive approach, the Punjab Congress will vigorously monitor the implementation and execution of the flagship programmes of the United Progressive Alliance government at the centre. Keeping in view the possibility of early elections in Punjab, the party decided to intensify its programmes in the coming months and expose the failures of the Akali-BJP government in the state. Besides the routine programmes, the party will be regularly holding demonstrations all across the state against the government.There was a general consensus among the members of the Punjab Congress Coordination Committee which met for the first time here today under the chairmanship of state incharge Mr Gulchain Singh Charak that the Akali-BJP government in the state was falsely claiming credit for the centrally sponsored schemes of the UPA government.
Today’s meeting was attended by all the members who included the PCC President Capt Amarinder Singh, CLP leader Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, union ministers Ms Ambika Soni and Mr Ashwani Kumar, and senior leaders including Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mr Manish Tewari, Ms Santosh Chaudhary, Mr Ravneet Singh Bittu and Mr Brahm Mohindra.
The meeting began after observing two minutes silence in memory of those killed in the Mumbai bomb blasts and the train accident in Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing the meeting Mr Charak said that the party had perfectly geared up in the state and the cadres had been mobilised well. He said, the PCC was doing well with its mass contact programme. While underlining the need for discipline, he said, the party had entered a crucial stage as elections were less than eight months away.
He said, given the resentment prevailing against the government across the state, the situation was fit and perfectly conducive for the return of Congress to power. However, he cautioned against complacency and maintained that the party workers and leaders must work hard and put in added efforts.
Briefing the meeting, Capt Amarinder stated that he had so far covered 71 assembly segments where he had had direct interaction with the party workers. He said, this was preceded by 24 big district level party rallies that set the tone for the mass mobilisation.
He said, with the large scale corruption prevailing in the state starting from the thana and patwar level right up to the highest echelons of power where they have grabbed all big businesses like sand mining, transport, liquor and cable, the people are fed up. He said, any other scam elsewhere in the country pales into insignificance when it comes to Punjab as the level of corruption here is much higher and of greater proportion.
He said, during his interactions he had found lot of enthusiasm among the party workers. He said, the party was certain to come to power with a thumping majority as he had seen the mood of the people.
The PCC President said, the party was also working on the manifesto and had set up different working groups which were preparing reports about different sectors like economy, agriculture and industry. The suggestions and recommendations of these working groups will be incorporated into the manifesto once the Manifesto Committee is approved by the party president Ms Sonia Gandhi and it starts working.
There was general unanimity among the members of the coordination committee that the Akali-BJP government needed to be exposed for its failures on economy, law and order and inflation because of the extra taxes it had imposed in the state. They said, each district unit should hold agitation and demonstration to expose this government and counter the lies it has been spreading.