Parkash Singh Badal asks people to vote NDA to power

Jagroan (Ludhiana), Oct 25:

Chief Minister

on Friday asked people to dislodge the ruling UPA at the Centre and vote the

-led

to power for development and to help "uproot" corruption.

The UPA government has miserably failed on all fronts during its decade long tenure dominated by corruption and maladministration, he said addressing a function after launching the Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme here.

He accused the Congress of following a policy of 'divide and rule' saying the party has created differences among people on the lines of caste, religion, creed, communities, language and even region for its political benefits.

The Centre's support is important for the development of any state, Badal said, adding that for Punjab's progress it is vital that people vote for NDA as Congress led UPA government had ignored the state.

The UPA government has always meted out a step-motherly treatment to Punjab by depriving hard working farmers of their rightful demand in terms of remunerative MSP and cheap agriculture inputs like diesel, seeds and pesticides.

"We are neither consulted for fixation of MSP nor for determining the rates of agriculture inputs," Badal said. He lauded the role of Leader of Opposition in Assembly Sunil Jakhar and former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar for their efforts in helping develop the state, saying "they are unlike their party colleagues including Congress state chief Partap Singh Bajwa and Amarinder Singh who believe in politics of vendetta."

Blaming the Centre for the tardy progress of paddy procurement in the state, Badal said the poor farmers were being harassed due to the Centre's stringent parameters of moisture and discolouration.

The Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme scheme of alliance government will in motivate the girl students of class XI and XII to get school education in hassle free manner especially in the far flung difficult areas besides arresting the trend of school drop outs amongst the girl students, he said.

Under the scheme 1.52 lakh cycles would be given to the girl students at a cost of Rs 40 crore, Badal said.

PTI