Gujarat Cong in-charge Raghu Sharma alleges terrorism rearing head in Punjab again

Ahmedabad, Aug 26: Terrorism is rearing its head again in Punjab after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in the northern state in March, Gujarat Congress in-charge Raghu Sharma alleged on Friday.

Seeking to downplay the AAP's entry is Gujarat, where Assembly polls are due by the year-end, Sharma claimed the real fight will be between his party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit does not have any mass base in the western state.

"They (AAP) now want to do politics in Gujarat, the land of Mahatma Gandhi. This is the same party which had removed Gandhiji's photos from offices after forming government in Punjab. People are also raising questions over some of the activities of the AAP," he said at a press conference here. "They formed government in Punjab by making attractive promises.

But, their government is failing in handling the situation in the state. Terrorism is also rearing its head in Punjab under the AAP government. They only know how to manage things, but the ground reality is different," claimed the Rajasthan MLA.

The AAP ousted the Congress from power in Punjab and formed its government for the first time in the state under Bhagwant Mann after recording a landslide victory in the Assembly polls earlier this year. Sharma termed the AAP as a "B team of the BJP" and claimed competition from the Kejriwal-led outfit was not an issue for the Congress during the upcoming polls in Gujarat.

"The fight (in Gujarat) will be between the Congress and the BJP. The AAP is not in the race here because they don't have any mass base in the state," said the former Rajasthan cabinet minister. To corner the BJP government in the state over the issues of price rise and unemployment, Sharma announced a symbolic "Gujarat bandh" between 8 am and 12 pm on September 10.

"We will appeal to all traders and shopkeepers to shut their businesses for 4 hours as a mark of protest on September 10. We are giving this bandh call to open the eyes of the BJP government because people are suffering due to a rise in prices of essential commodities, unemployment and illegal drugs trade," he said.

On the same issues, Congress workers will stage demonstrations across the state on August 27, the party leader said. On September 5, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Ahmedabad to hold a meeting with party leaders, said Sharma. "As part of our mass outreach programme, 1,500 Congress leaders will visit all the 52,000 booths in the state on September 24, 25 and 26," he said.