Sharad Yadav asks Punjabis to vote out Congress from Punjab

Ludhiana, Jan 30 (UNI) Alleging that the Congress government was forcibly acquiring agricultural land for setting-up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Punjab, Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav today appealed to the electorate to vote out the Congress from the border state in the assembly polls on February 13.

While pointing out that Punjab and Haryana are the major contributors of wheat and rice to the country, Mr Yadav said setting up SEZs on fertile land would lead to a shortage of the two foodgrains.

''Seventy per cent of the people in this state are dependent on agriculture and inspite of this agriculture land is being taken away for other use,'' he said while addressing a media conference after addressing an election rally in favour of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP candidates here. The Janata Dal(U) leader made a passionate appeal to the migrant labourers particularly the Biharis in the state to vote for the SAD-BJP.

The farmers of Punjab had the ''power'' to dislodge the Congress in the state, he said while pointing out that his party had decided not to field candidates for the Assembly elections and had extended support to the SAD-BJP combine. ''Though our party is not strong in the state, but still we have a vote bank,'' he added.

Mr Yadav alleged that the Congress in Punjab had failed to control prices of essential commodities and promoted corruption.

UNI