Capt appeals to rebel candidates to withdraw nominations

Sanjay Bumbroo and Surinder Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, January 21

Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday asked the rebel candidates to withdraw their nominations and support the party candidates, thus paving the way for the party to form government in the state.

Amarinder said the rebel candidates who toed the party line would be suitably rewarded, or the party would be forced to take strict action against them, which could include expulsion for life.

Replying to a query on the allegation by Navjot Singh Sidhu about the Badals promoting their transport companies, Singh said he would form a special investigating team to look into the reasons behind the losses in the Punjab transport department.

Later, addressing a rally organised by Congress candidate Gurpreet Singh, Amarinder blamed the Badals for the drug menace in the state.

Amarinder said he had filed his nomination from Lambi to teach the Badals a lesson. He said atrocities on Dalits had increased manifold in the state. He said 12,824 cases of atrocities against Dalits had been registered in the past 10 years while only 651 cases had been registered during his tenure.

Meanwhile, senior Akali leaders Kanwar Rajeshpal Singh Lalli and Parvinder Singh Sal, along with their supporters, joined the Congress.