Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's programme for January 29 has been rescheduled to February 2, the last day for electioneering in Punjab.
"The change in programme has been necessitated by some pressing engagements in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh," a party release said here tonight.
Rahul will now address his joint rally with Punjab Congress President and party's chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh in Lambi, as well as Gidderbaha, on February 2, instead of January 29.
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Amarinder is taking on Akali stalwart and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in his home turf of Lambi in what he has termed the "grandfather of all battles".
Tomorrow, Rahul is scheduled to address a public rally in Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal's constituency of Jalalabad.
He will also address public meetings in Dhuri and Phillaur. However, his scheduled meeting tomorrow evening with Ludhiana traders and businessman has been cancelled due to the change in his programme.
Rahul said Congress delivers what it promises to the
people unlike other parties who allegedly betray people after coming to power.
Attacking Arvind Kejriwal and AAP, Rahul said the Delhi CM had promised to voters that he will transform Delhi if his party comes to power there, but "now various sections were up against them for befooling the people".
"Ask autorickshaw wallahs, slum dwellers, safai karamcharis, poor, they will tell you the reality," he said hitting out at AAP.
Rahul also said that Kejriwal knows fully well that his game is over in Delhi and he is facing public wrath there, which is why now he wants to become "Punjab's CM".
He, however, said that people of Punjab will never chose an "outsider".
Rahul also said that Congress has always stood for and will always stand for the welfare of the poor, downtrodden, Dalits, small farmers, labourers and other weaker sections and appealed to the public to give the party a chance to serve them in Punjab.
He also talked about the problems faced by the common people in the wake of demonetisation.
Notably, Jalalabad Assembly constituency is witnessing a high-profile contest this time, with two MP of rival parties throwing their hat in the ring to take on Sukhbir Badal.
While Congress has fielded its Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu to take on Sukhbir Badal, AAP has fielded its Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann from the seat.
Rahul yesterday began his Punjab tour by addressing a rally at Majitha, from where Cabinet Minister and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal's brother-in-law, Bikram Singh Majithia is seeking re-election for third term.
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Gandhi reiterated his party will strive to combat drug menace in the state enacting strict law and assured of generating employment opportunities once the Amarinder Singh-led government is formed there.
Directing most of his attacks at Badals, Gandhi claimed the family wants "share" in every investment or industry that comes Punjab's way, which he suggested, is the reason why projects go out of the state, resulting in poor employment, further causing the youth there to move out in search of opportunities.
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Addressing the gathering, Rahul said Capt Amarinder would change the face of Punjab, "which has been completely devastated by the corrupt and tyrannical Badals", in just two years after taking over as chief minister.
Referring to Kejriwal, Rahul said "Punjab goes not need a "dictator".
"Kejriwal runs Delhi like Modi does the country. Kejriwal does not take anyone into confidence. First he shunted out Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from the party and suspended two of his MPs because they did not toe his line and raised questions about his style of functioning...," Rahul said.
"The Congress workers, over the past one decade, have been fighting the tyranny of the Badals who have taken control of all the state's businesses and major assets, transforming Punjab's culture of giving (tera hai) into the culture of taking (mera hai), he added.
He praised the Punjabis and the Sikh community, pointing out that wherever they go, be it United States, Europe or any other country or even any other state of India, they are known for putting hard work and working with honesty.
He also said the 'Atta Daal' scheme of the SAD-BJP government was in fact, a copy of a similar scheme run by the previous Manmohan Singh led UPA government and the Akalis had only pasted their photos to take credit.
Speaking on the occasion, Capt Amarinder Singh, began his address by attacking the ruling Badals.
"Vade nu te main Lambi vich sut kar rahanga (I will throw senior Badal out in Lambi)," he said, adding that Sukhbir would be wiped out in Jalalabad by the people.
He said that he had chosen to contest his last election from Patiala, where he started his political career, but had decided to fight from Lambi also (CM's constituency) to teach Badal a lesson.
Dismissing AAP as inexperienced, "with not a single person with knowledge of governance", Amarinder lashed out at Kejriwal for refusing to contest polls or even debate with him, despite his repeated challenges.
"Delhi, under AAP's governance, is in a mess with teachers not being regularised, doctors not getting their salaries and 19 MLAs of the party behind bars on corruption and rape charges," said Amarinder, warning the people against experimenting if they wanted the revival of Punjab.
"As a bunch of outsiders they will never stand by Punjab and will ensure completion of SYL, causing 10 lakh acres of land, including Jalalabad to go dry," he warned.
Earlier, terming Amarinder as the pradhan (chief) of the party and the chief-minister-to-be of the state, the Congress star campaigner and Amritsar East candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu said Akali Dal would become "Khali Dal" after the polls.
