Now, SAD says no to mega rallies

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will not organise major rallies in the run-up to the Assembly elections. Instead, the party will hold one rally each in about eight constituencies in the coming days. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had recently decided to go micro in the state.

The SAD manifesto was discussed at the party’s core committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here tonight. It will focus on four sections of voters: youth, economically weaker sections, traders and farmers — all of whom are being wooed by AAP. Sources in the party told The Tribune that the manifesto would be released after January 15.

The CM, son Sukhbir Badal and daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal will canvass not only for the 94 Akali candidates but also for the 23 BJP nominees.

While Badal will hold rallies in two to three constituencies every day, Sukhbir, the SAD president, will conduct three to five rallies on a daily basis. The party will concentrate more on the rural segments.

It is learnt that Sukhbir will meet BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi on January 10 to work out a common election strategy.

Why Tirath Yatra halted, asks party

Chandigarh/Ludhiana: The SAD on Saturday held the Congress and AAP responsible for the EC’s decision to put “inhuman curbs” on the distribution of atta-dal among the poor and halting the state government’s Tirath Darshan Yatra. The party has asked the government to take up the issues with the EC and explain that these are planned schemes of the government. Meanwhile, the authorities are awaiting instructions to bring back devotees from Punjab who had gone to Patna to attend the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh in special trains and buses. Ludhiana DC and District Election Officer Ravi Bhagat said, “As the model code of conduct is in place, we need clarification. We have brought the matter to the notice of the Chief Electoral Officer.”  TNS