Kejriwal starts 5 day Punjab visit from Feb 24

Chandigarh, Feb 24: With Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal starting his five day visit to Punjab from tomorrow to "study" various issue concerning the state, ruling Akali Dal and opposition Congress today hit out at the AAP leader describing him as a "seasonal bird" and his visit a show of "political theatrics".

Kejriwal will be in Punjab from September 24 to 29 to interact with families of distressed farmers, members of dalit families against whom alleged atrocities were committed, unemployed youth and families of victims of drug abuse, an AAP spokesman said here today.

On February 25 Kejriwal will visit Sangrur, Bathinda, Ferozepur and Faridkot, next day he would be in Khaddor Sahib, Gurdaspur and Amritsar, on February 27 he will visit Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar and February 28 Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala on February 29.

Ahead of Kejriwal's visit, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said in 'poll season' many ‘seasonal birds’ would visit the state, but claimed it would hardly have any effect "as the SAD-BJP alliance is all set to register third consecutive win and will form the government again in 2017."

Talking about the AAP leader's visit, the 88-year-old five-time CM said, "they will come and go back but due to our pro-people and development oriented policies, the SAD-BJP alliance will again form government in 2017".

The Delhi Chief Minister had addressed a major AAP rally last month at the Maghi fair in Muktsar. Badal said during almost nine years of the SAD-BJP rule "the state has witnessed unprecedented development in all the sectors".

Meanwhile, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh asked the Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister to come clear about the commitments he makes before the polls and later backs out.

"If your intentions are such that you really don’t mean to fulfil all the promises, then why make such promises at the first instance and befool the people?" the PCC president asked Kejriwal, while adding, "this is wilful cheating with the people that you make promises which you really don’t mean and intend to fulfil".

Taking a dig at the AAP’s ‘Punjab Dialogue’ to "study" various issues in Punjab over next "six months" for preparing the manifesto, Capt Amarinder remarked, "it is quite natural for a party which has no roots but just a few shoots in Punjab to struggle to identify the issues".

PTI