Bathinda April 7:
Acting president of the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) Manpreet Singh Badal announced holding of his party’s elections in June to set up its organisational structure. He urged his party workers, supporters and well-wishers to enroll the maximum number of members during the next two months.
Manpreet said there were 1.64 crore voters in Punjab and his partymen should enroll members in the PPP in large numbers to ensure a good show by his party in the ensuing Assembly elections. He also clarified that though people called him the president of the PPP but he was only the acting president. The party president would be elected by the delegates later, he added. Manpreet was here today in connection with a district-level meeting of his party, in which a large number of people took part. Manpreet’s father Gurdas Singh Badal also attended the meeting.
Manpreet said he had been receiving phone calls daily from leaders and prominent persons to join his party but with the rider that he (Manpreet) should first announce party tickets for them. He said he did not want such persons in his party. He required persons with a good background and a patriotic spirit, he added. Manpreet said he had come to invite them to become the members of his party as his party represented all the Punjabis.
He said as the battle against debt and the social evils like illiteracy, unemployment, drug abuse, poverty and corruption, did not affect only him, “so we have to fight these jointly for the sake of our future generations”. To a question about the recent outburst of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal against him , Manpreet said, “He (Badal) is rattled after the successful organisation of my Khatkar Kalan rally.” About the PPP’s alliance with any party during the ensuing Assembly elections, he said it was pre-mature to say anything in this regard.
However, Gurdas Singh Badal said like on the previous occasions, this time also he was not inclined to enter the poll fray as even in the past, he had contested under compulsion. He was also of the view that perhaps CM Parkash Singh Badal would also not contest the elections this time. Meanwhile, Manpreet said his party would not contest the SGPC elections but would support candidates with a good and clean image on individual basis.
He also supported social activist Anna Hazare’s fast-unto-death regarding greater public participation in formulating a stronger Lokpal Bill. About the case against his OSD Charanjit Singh’s father by the Gidderbaha police, Manpreet termed it as “politics of vendetta”. He also said that in the last 16 years, he had never let the SAD down.
Acting president of the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) Manpreet Singh Badal announced holding of his party’s elections in June to set up its organisational structure. He urged his party workers, supporters and well-wishers to enroll the maximum number of members during the next two months.
Manpreet said there were 1.64 crore voters in Punjab and his partymen should enroll members in the PPP in large numbers to ensure a good show by his party in the ensuing Assembly elections. He also clarified that though people called him the president of the PPP but he was only the acting president. The party president would be elected by the delegates later, he added. Manpreet was here today in connection with a district-level meeting of his party, in which a large number of people took part. Manpreet’s father Gurdas Singh Badal also attended the meeting.
Manpreet said he had been receiving phone calls daily from leaders and prominent persons to join his party but with the rider that he (Manpreet) should first announce party tickets for them. He said he did not want such persons in his party. He required persons with a good background and a patriotic spirit, he added. Manpreet said he had come to invite them to become the members of his party as his party represented all the Punjabis.
He said as the battle against debt and the social evils like illiteracy, unemployment, drug abuse, poverty and corruption, did not affect only him, “so we have to fight these jointly for the sake of our future generations”. To a question about the recent outburst of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal against him , Manpreet said, “He (Badal) is rattled after the successful organisation of my Khatkar Kalan rally.” About the PPP’s alliance with any party during the ensuing Assembly elections, he said it was pre-mature to say anything in this regard.
However, Gurdas Singh Badal said like on the previous occasions, this time also he was not inclined to enter the poll fray as even in the past, he had contested under compulsion. He was also of the view that perhaps CM Parkash Singh Badal would also not contest the elections this time. Meanwhile, Manpreet said his party would not contest the SGPC elections but would support candidates with a good and clean image on individual basis.
He also supported social activist Anna Hazare’s fast-unto-death regarding greater public participation in formulating a stronger Lokpal Bill. About the case against his OSD Charanjit Singh’s father by the Gidderbaha police, Manpreet termed it as “politics of vendetta”. He also said that in the last 16 years, he had never let the SAD down.
