Pro Akali-BJP wave sweeps Punjab claims Badal

Jalandhar, Dec 17 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) president and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today claimed that a strong pro SAD-BJP wave is sweeping Punjab ahead of the assembly elections due to be held by February next.

Addressing a BJP-SAD public meeting here this afternoon, Mr Badal said in his long political career, he had noticed such strong sentiments and mood of people for the second time. The first instance was in 1977, during the post emergency general elections which had seen the uprooting of Congress and bitter defeat of Mrs Indira Gandhi.

He felt the prevailing anti-Congress sentiment was even stronger then the 1977 anti-Indira wave and he was confident that the ruling Congress was heading for a devastating defeat at the hustings.

He said SAD rallies at Chandigarh and Moga were also indicators of the same public moods and feelings.

The Amarinder Singh Government in the state had virtually ruined Punjab and done no good to people of the state, he alleged.

Mr Badal sought votes for SAD-BJP candidates in the next assembly elections with assurances for implementing pro-people, pro-development policies and appropriate action in all ''misdeeds and scams'' allegedly being committed by the Chief Minister and his associates.

BJP state president and sitting MP Avinash Rai Khanna, BJP national secretary RP Singh, former Minister Manoranjan Kalia also spoke on the occasion.

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