Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Patiala, The Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal will hold parallel rallies in Bathinda and Patiala, respectively, on December 15.
Senior Congress leaders met PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh at his New Moti Bagh Palace residence today and chose Bathinda as the venue for the December 15 event. The rally would be sort of a coronation ceremony for Captain Amarinder Singh as he takes over the reins of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).
The Shiromani Akali Dal, on the other hand, has also decided to hold a rally the same day near Patiala Aviation Club on Patiala-Sangrur road. Confirming the development, senior SAD leaders said they are expecting over 2 lakh people at the rally and leaders have been assigned duties.
Senior Congress leaders, including Sunil Jakhar and Lal Singh, were also present at the meeting, where it was discussed that people living only two hours away from Bathinda would attend the rally rather than bringing people from across Punjab by filling buses.
“We have decided to hold the rally in Bathinda on December 15. Sukhbir Badal is welcome to hold the rally in Patiala. Though rallies are no indicator of popularity, these are a sure way to reach out to maximum people,” Captain Amarinder said. “Despite Sukhbir’s claim of a gathering of over 2 lakh people at the recent SAD rally in Bathinda, I have aerial shots of the venue and can say that not more than 35,000 people were there. Majority of them were from the neighbouring Haryana or government officials roped in to show numbers.”
Talking to The Tribune, the Congress chief said the party is open to hold talks with like-minded secular parties for the 2017 Assembly elections, but “we have to know what they want in return as the modalities are needed to be chalked out in detail”. “One leader from AAP joined us today and many more from SAD and AAP will soon follow suit,” Captain Amarinder said.
