Cong to contest Punjab polls on devp plank

Chandigarh, July 15: The Congress today resolved to contest the Punjab assembly elections on the plank of development, banking on the Amarinder Singh government's assurance that the proposed ''mega projects'' in agro-industry and infrastructure development sectors would bring jobs and prosperity to the state.

''The development works undertaken by the Congress government to strengthen the infrastructure for agro-based industry and mega projects in real estate have benefited the common man,'' stated a resolution, adopted at a meeting of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) executive members, the party MLAs and other senior leaders.

PPCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo had presided over the meeting in the presence of incharge Punjab affairs Janardhan Dwivedi, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and other MLAs and senior leaders.

Later addressing a press conference, Mr Janardhan Dwivedi said it was true that the farmers of the state were facing hardships and they should get remunerative prices for their produce.

When asked whether the Centre was considering the Punjab government's demand of a special package for the poor and heavily indebted farmers on the lines of the package given to the peasants in Vidarbha region, Mr Dwivedi said the farmers of Punjab were still better than those in Vidarbha.

The Congress adopted another resolution in which the partymen took a pledge ''to work honestly towards building a society where justice to all its sections will be ensured and people will have access to real social and economic self-sufficiency''.

The congregation also approved the proposal of the PPCC chief to begin a 'Mass Contact Programme' throughout the state from July 21 to 31 in the run-up for the assembly polls, due in February 2007.

UNI