Least bothered who takes Punjab Cong command: Badal

Unfazed by the speculation of change of guard in the state Congress leadership, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that Shiromani Akal Dal (SAD) was least bothered about Lok Sabha MP Amarinder Singh or any other person taking over the command of the Congress.
On the sidelines of Sangat Darshan programme in Khadoor Sahib Assembly segment here, the Chief Minister said that the leadership change was the internal matter of the Congress, whosoever took command of the party made hardly any difference to the SAD.
Quipping over the probability of Captain taking over as the state Congress chief, he said that how Capt Amarinder Singh could impact the bright prospects of SAD, which was fighting the next Assembly elections solely on the plank of peace, development and prosperity.

"It was on the record that despite Amarinder Singh being the PPCC Chief twice and CM once, what tangible contribution he had made for the overall development and growth of the state?" he questioned.
"For us every Congress President is alike so we are least concerned about it," Badal added.
However, the Chief Minister hoped that the new Congress President would work towards promoting the ethos of peace, communal harmony and amity in the state.

He said that it was the need of the hour in the prevailing scenario in the state.
Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to help the cotton farmers affected by the pest attack in Malwa region, the Chief Minister said that the state government was already disbursing a compensation of Rs 640 crore to the affected farmers and Rs 64 crore to the farm labours.

He said that the process of disbursement of compensation was underway smoothly, adding that not even a single complaint had been received so far in this regard.
He said the state government has started a new scheme called 'Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme' for providing free pilgrimage to sacred cities of Sri Nanded Sahib, Varanasi, Katra (Mata Vaishno Devi) and Ajmer Sharif, under which free train service will be organized to these cities for the people from Punjab besides ensuring other logistic facilities to pilgrims free of cost.
Saying that there was no political motive behind the 'Sadhbhavna' rallies being organized by the state government, the Chief Minister stated that the sole aim of holding these rallies was to promote brotherhood, peace and harmony in the state.

(Reopens DES40)
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Badal hit out at the Congress and said the opposition party was "unable to face the strong bonding of SAD-BJP alliance, which is why newly appointed Punjab Congress President Capt Amarinder Singh and his team is working towards establishing a grand alliance (Congress plus BSP, Left and others), but the fact remains that the latter will never get reins of political power in state".
He claimed that former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh would again face "massive political defeat in 2017 assembly polls" while ruling alliance will register third consecutive victory.
On being asked about the Aam Aadmi Party, the Chief Minister said that AAP did not pose any threat.

"AAP is recruiting the rejected leaders from other parties, which will have no effect on ruling combine," he claimed.
Answering a query, the Chief Minister said that a high level committee has been constituted to resolve the issues pertaining to industry and traders in Punjab, which will submit its report soon.
Earlier addressing the gathering at National Executive Meet of International Vaish Federation, Badal said that Punjabis have made maximum sacrifices during the country's independence struggle.
Lauding the contribution of Vaish Community in the socio-economic development of Punjab, the Chief Minister welcomed the delegates of community who had gathered here from across the country.

He also extended them an invitation of holding annual meet here in Punjab in future also.
Meanwhile, the Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan in his address said that the sacred land of Punjab and Punjabis had contributed a lot in freedom struggle.