Contest for Punjab polls only between SAD-BJP, Cong: Sukhbir Badal

Jalandhar, Jan 20: There will be a direct contest only between SAD-BJP combine and Congress in 2017 Assembly polls in Punjab as people will "reject" AAP for "doing nothing" in Delhi, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal said today.

Badal further said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has done totally "opposite" to what it had promised in Delhi and the party had "nothing" to offer for the development of Punjab.

"Congress can be considered as an opposition for the SAD- BJP combine in the 2017 Assembly elections as people will reject AAP for its failure to provide any relief to people of Delhi, Badal said here after flagging off the first train to Varanasi under Mukhya Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme from Jalandhar City railway station.

However, he said that there were "some seats" which may see a tripartite tussle without naming any such constituencies. He also dared AAP to announce a candidate for Khadoor Sahib by-poll slated for February 13.

"Sensing defeat at Khadoor Sahib, AAP is running away from the electoral field as people had already rejected them in Talwandi Sabo and Patiala by polls," he said.

SAD has announced Ravinder Singh Brahmpura as the candidate for the bypoll from SAD-BJP combine, he said. Questioning the credentials of Delhi CM and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, Sukhbir said that AAP had nothing to do with the "common man" and asked if it was justified to spend Rs 532 crore on "personal propaganda" by Kejriwal.

PTI