Patiala: Aam Admi Party suspended Member of Parliament Dharmavira Gandhi, rebel AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, and Bains brothers of Lok Insaf Party (LIP) and Bahujan Samaj Party state president Rashpal Raju has announced an alliance together ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha election in an Insaaf march at Patiala on Sunday.
After addressing a massive rally all these leaders announced the name of their coalition- Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“We will welcome a tie-up with all parties which believe in the Constitution. We thank the BSP and the Lok Insaaf Party for their support. Our alliance will ensure that the SGPC is freed from the clutches of the Akali Dal, while the ‘failed’ Congress leadership in the state is made answerable,” said Sukhpal Khaira.
The nine-day ‘Insaaf March’ had begun from Takht Damdama Sahib on December 8 ended after covering 180 km including 54 villages.
Suspended AAP MP Gandhi made a scathing attack on the central government upon the rights of the states. He further added that PM Modi led central government is implementing the welfare schemes without any consideration with the state government. He also lambasted the National Democratic Alliance government for the GST scheme which is claimed by the government a revolutionary step in terms of tax reforms.
Lok Insaf Party Chief Simarjeet Bains targeted the Captain Amarinder Singh led Congress government in Punjab and alleged that the state government has failed to address the expectations of small and medium scale industry and its workers. He spoke at length and lashed further against Captain for failing in providing the cheap electricity tariffs and stated that the current so-called relief of Rs 5 per unit electricity charges has benefitted only a few handfuls of the industrialists.
Bains also attacked the state government for its ‘draconian’ policies and said that the government was playing a cruel joke and its teachers are forced to teach at 15,000 per month. He alleged that the government has failed to implement the sixth pay commission implementation forget seventh pay.
Bahujan Samaj Party State President Rashpal Raju said the weaker sections and Dalits were being exploited through politically motivated welfare schemes, where unprivileged and marginalsied people are being denied the basic right to quality education, healthcare, and affordable housing.
Other suspended AAP MLAs Kanwar Sandhu, Jagdev Singh, Najar Singh, Jagtar Singh, Pirmal Singh, and Baldev Singh were also present in the rally along with Gandhi and Khaira. Bains brothers Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains had parted their ways with AAP in March and formed a separate Party (LIP)
Rebel MLA Kanwar Sandhu slammed the Congress government in the state and said that Captain is, in fact, perpetuating the Akali Sponsored mafia raj and the current government is merely an extension of ‘Badal raj’.
United Akali Dal President Bhai Mohkam Singh also addressed the people during the rally.
The ‘Jamhoori Gathjor’ or Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) leaders also made it clear that they are open with the idea of likeminded individuals or parties to join them. Anyone who had a problem with Congress or BJPand Shiromani Akali Dal can be part of this coalition and with this note, the massive gathering ended.
What is the role of BSP?
Bahujan Samaj Party which had been highly unpredictable has made one thing clear in the recently held Assembly Elections that it can go to any extent to defeat BJP and as a result, it has extended its support to Congress in Madhya Pradesh.
However, it will be interesting to see how such state bound small alliance can bother the aspiration of Congress who is running with high hopes to strengthen their United Grand Alliance ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Role of BSP is considered very crucial by many political experts in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ led by Congress.
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