Chandigarh:- Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh today challenged Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to dissolve the Assembly and go for a snap poll if the Akalis were confident about their popularity in the state.
A day after announcing the Congress was “boycotting” the Khadoor Sahib bye-poll, Amarinder reacted sharply to Sukhbir s yesterday’s comment that they had run away from the field.
“I’d be glad if Sukhbir, who is claiming so much popularity, announces a snap poll. I assure him, we’ll not disappoint him. We’ll contest and defeat him,” he said.
Punjab’s Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had yesterday said the Congress party “has fled the Khadoor Sahib field out of fear of certain and humiliating defeat”.
Amarinder however said they boycotted the bye-poll on principles as the issues of sacrilege, on which Congress MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki resigned necessitating the bye-poll, still remain unresolved.
He claimed Congress would have won the bye-poll anyway since people of Khadoor Sahib endorsed Sikki s decision.
But retaining one Assembly seat, with a life left for less than a year, is immaterial for us, he said.
“Our main concern and priority is to get those responsible for desecration and killing of peaceful protesters, punished, which we will certainly do after forming our government in 2017,” Amarinder said in a statement here.
The PCC chief also took a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party for accusing Congress had an understanding with the Akalis over boycotting the by-election.
“I’ve only one question for the AAP. If we’ve an understanding with the Akalis on the matter of principle, why did it (the AAP) not contest itself?” he asked.
AAP has decided not to field its candidate as it wants to concentrate on the 2017 Assembly polls in the state.
The last date for filing of nominations ended yesterday and ruling Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Ravinder Singh Brahmpura is the only prominent nominee in the fray.
After scrutiny today, the last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 30. Counting for the February 13 election will be held on February 16.
The seat had fallen vacant after Congress’ Ramanjit Singh Sikki had resigned over incidents of sacrilege in his constituency last year.
PTI
