Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
BATHINDA, December 15: It was the mother of all public rallies with over 5 lakh people converging at the venue to witness Capt Amarinder Singh to take over as the PCC president for the third time. It was a mammoth gathering with record breaking numbers never seen so far in the history of Punjab.
Since the pandaal (tent) could not accommodate all the people, despite being double the size than the one set up by Akalis last month at the same place, a large number of them were seen atop the trees and buildings and even electricity transformers.
PCC vice president Gurpreet Kangar and Kikki Dhillon had to make repeated appeals to people to come down from the transformers.
While about five lakh people watched inside and around the venue, an equal number of people were stuck in the town and outside as they could not reach the venue due to heavy congestion on roads. People walked miles and miles to reach the venue to witness the takeover. It actually looked like a million men march.
As the outgoing PCC president Partap Singh Bajwa handed over the party flag to Capt Amarinder thus formally handing over the charge of the PCC president to him, there were loud cheers and shouts of Bole So Nihal. Capt Amarinder acknowledged the greetings by waiving his hand to the crowd.
Entire party leadership of the Congress was present to witness the event. They included Congress general secretary and Punjab incharge Shakeel Ahmad, secretary Harish Chaudhary, Congress Campaign Committee chief Ms Ambika Soni, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, Indian Youth Congress president Amarinder Raja Warring, former Chief Minister Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former PCC president Partap Singh Bajwa, MPs Ashwani Kumar, Chaudhary Santokh, Ravneet Bittu and all the MLAs, ex-MLAs district presidents and state office bearers.
Capt Amarinder said, he was humbled and overwhelmed at the same time with the unprecedented love and affection shown by the people with their massive presence at the takeover ceremony. He promised to them that he will come up to their expectations and ensure that Congress won the 2017 elections.
He also took a pledge with Gutka Sahab in hand promising that immediately after forming the government, he will end drug pedalling in Punjab and punish the guilty, finish corruption and cancel all the false FIRs against Congress workers.
The outgoing president Mr Bajwa assured his full support and cooperation to ensure Congress victory in the next elections. He lashed out at Badals for destroying Punjab saying the presence of such a mammoth crowd at the rally was also a reflection of their anger against the Badals.
Ms Soni, Ms Bhattal, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, ex-CLP leader Sunil Jakhar, MPs Ravneet Bittu, Chaudhary Santokh, Ashwani Kumar, IYC president Raja Warring also spoke on the occasion and congratulated Capt Amarinder for being appointed the PCC president. They said, under his leadership party was certain to form the next government in Punjab.
