Ajnala: Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh on Saturday described 'Awaaz-e-Punjab', floated by former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, as "Tonga party" and dismissed the proposed fourth front as "inconsequential". He alleged said this front seems to have been "propped up" by the BJP only.
"It (Awaaz-e-Punjab) is like a tonga party of four people, two sitting in the front and two in the back which will hardly have any impact", he said here, asserting that four people do not make a political party as it required "much more than that."
'Awaaz-e-Punjab' has been formed by Sidhu along with former hockey captain and MLA Pargat Singh and two Ludhiana MLA brothers-Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Bains.
He said people are welcome to form a party as it is their "democratic right."
Addressing a Christian congregation organised by ex-MLA Harpartap Singh Ajnala in Ambala, the PCC president promised to end the "discrimination" against the Christians and other minorities in the state.
He promised that once Congress comes to power in Punjab, all the welfare schemes announced for the Dalits and downtrodden, like the 'Shagun' scheme or free power will also be extended to the Christian community.
Amarinder agreed that the Christian community in Punjab had been left behind and special measures were required to ensure that it gets its due.
The PCC president also accepted a memorandum from the community which was read out at the stage by senior party leader and PCC general secretary Salamat Masih.
He said each and every demand will be included in the election manifesto and after the government formation each and every commitment will be fulfilled.
As a special measure to ensure that the Christian community was represented in the state legislature, he said the Congress after coming to power, will pass a law in the state assembly that will enable nomination of a member of the community in the Vidhan Sabha on the lines of Chhattisgarh.
Asked to comment on AAP's claims that its competition was with the Akali Dal and not with the Congress, Amarinder remarked, "of course the competition is between the two of them for the second spot as we are far ahead of them and none of the two stands any completion with us".
Taking potshots at Bhagwant Mann, he said that the AAP leader had no idea about his intentions and whereabouts.
"However, I must say that there is strong sense of introspection among the Punjabi AAP leaders, who are the sons of the soil, about they being ruled over and exploited by the others and they are duly standing up against it and may be Bhagwant Mann is also feeling the same way", he remarked.
