Choose between those who live with you, outsiders who come to 'loot': Sukhbir Badal

This is why we did not get into any power game and chose to stand with the Punjabis.Appealing to the Punjabis to strengthen their own regional party, the SAD chief said, The Delhi-based parties have ruined Punjab in the last seven years.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal Thursday said in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the choice before the Punjabis is between those who had always lived and worked amidst them versus ''outsiders who only came to Punjab to loot and exploit''.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president toured the Sardulgarh and Talwandi Sabo constituencies as part of the 'Punjab Bachao Yatra' along with senior leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

''It is a choice between 'apne' (yours) and 'paraaye' (outsiders),'' he said.

Sukhbir Badal said the SAD was ''apne ghar di party'' even as he accused the Delhi-based parties of always indulging in conspiracies to create a wedge of misunderstandings between the Punjabis and the SAD.

''This conspiracy, which was underway for the last two years, stands fully exposed and the Punjabis are ready to shun the 'jhaadu' (AAP's poll symbol), 'panja' (Congress party's poll symbol) and 'kamal da phul' (BJP's symbol) and repose their faith in the 'takdi' (SAD's symbol)'', he said.

Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said once the Punjabis decide to repose faith in the SAD, all efforts to pit the Punjabis against the Punjabis by the Delhi-based parties will fail.

Asserting that the SAD was committed to maintaining the ''panthic'' as well as the regional character of the party, Sukhbir Badal said, ''We have a glorious heritage of safeguarding the ''panth'' as well as the aspirations of the Punjabis. Unlike the Delhi-based parties, who can sacrifice anything for political motives, the SAD can never compromise on its core values and principles. This is why we did not get into any power game and chose to stand with the Punjabis''.

Appealing to the Punjabis to strengthen their own regional party, the SAD chief said, ''The Delhi-based parties have ruined Punjab in the last seven years. Not only has the state been bankrupted but all development activities have come to a halt.

''I challenge both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to tell one major infrastructure project they have established in Punjab in the last seven years during their tenure in government,'' he said.

In contrast, the SAD is responsible for ensuring free power to the farmers, unique social welfare schemes like 'aata-daal' and 'shagun' scheme to the underprivileged and old age pension, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)