SAD against use of drugs, money in polls: Parkash Singh Badal

Dera Baba Nanak: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday said his party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is completely against the use of drugs and money in the polls.

His remark comes a day after the Election Commission said a "robust strategy" would be prepared to prevent distribution of drugs, liquor and cash in poll-bound Punjab.

"SAD is a votary of clean and value based politics in a democratic system. It is totally against the use of drugs and money power in the polls," he said here on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan programme in Dera Baba Nanak assembly segment.

Hitting out Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh, he said both were "chronic non-performers" who have "failed" in fulfilling people's aspirations, whenever voted to power.

Taking a jibe at Singh and Kejriwal, who were engaged in a Twitter spat recently, Badal said the two were "paper tigers" who only roar on social media.

Stating that Kejriwal and Singh "hardly" work on grass-roots level and were "ignorant" about the problems of masses, he claimed that both of them believe in living a "luxurious life style".

Badal said both these leaders were now showing "green pastures" to people in the false hope of attaining power in the state.

Coming down heavily on Singh, he termed the debt waiver campaign of Congress as a "big fraud", and said he was "misleading" people as it was "impractical" for any state government to write off loan taken from banks.

Badal said Singh's tenure was best remembered for his "anti-farmer" stance but now he was indulging in all sorts of "tantrums" to win over their support by spreading such "canards".

Replying to a query, the Chief Minister said the state government has decided to regularise the services of more than 30,000 employees of the state.

Badal also termed the newly-formed 'Akhand Akali Dal' as "a branch of the Congress", whose sole purpose was to help the Congress by weakening the Akali Dal.

"The timing of formation of this new Akali Dal was a ploy of 'anti-panthic' forces to cut the share of Akali Dal by misleading the people," Badal said.

Akhand Akali Dal, which has reportedly been newly floated, comprises Akali Dal (1920), Delhi Akali Dal, Panthic Akali Dal and International Akali Dal.

Earlier addressing the public gathering, Badal announced that the state government has released Rs 100 crore for providing burial grounds to Muslim and Christian brethren across the state.