Akalis turned Patiala into virtual slum: Preneet

The ruling SAD-BJP government in Punjab has "discriminated" against Patiala during its last eight years of rule as people of the constituency have always voted and supported Congress, former Union minister Preneet Kaur said today.
Kaur, who is contesting the Patiala (Urban) assembly bypoll in Punjab, said "despite being an MP from Patiala earlier, at times it was difficult for her to get development funds released for various works."
"This was clearly being done at the behest of the Akali government which did not want any development to take place here even when the money was not theirs," the Congress leader said.

Kaur appealed to the people of the city to compare the five years of Congress rule with last eight years of Akali rule which, she allged, had turned a city like Patiala into a virtual slum.
"The condition of the city, particularly in interior areas, has gone from bad to worse," she said.
It was the Congress government which started Rajiv Gandhi Law University here, built several flyovers, spent Rs 126 crores for sewage project in Anand Nagar, upgraded Rajindera Medical College to Super Speciality Hospital and launched many other projects.

Kaur said during the Congress rule when her husband Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister, Patiala had seen a massive turnaround in terms of development and civic amenities.

The bypoll to Patiala (Urban) city will be held on August 21.
Kaur is locked in a straight contest with SAD's Bhagwan Dass.