Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Friday urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to form an alliance with the RPI to prevent the Congress from securing power in the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls. Speaking from Amritsar to the news agency IANS, Athawale declared that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is 'certain to depart' from power, attributing this to the state's deteriorating law and order situation and widespread discontent among its citizens.
Athawale specifically criticized Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's administration, stating, 'The law-and-order situation in Punjab is not good. Bhagwant Mann… has not been able to deliver justice to the people of Punjab.' He highlighted dissatisfaction among farmers, the poor, youth, women, Dalits, Sikh, and Hindu communities, expressing confidence that an NDA government could be formed. The Union Minister reiterated his personal belief that the BJP and Akali Dal, having a long history of coalition, should reunite.
This renewed call for an alliance follows recent speculation ignited by SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month. While Badal's office remained tight-lipped about the agenda, sources within the SAD indicated that discussions focused on critical Punjab issues, including the state's law and order and alleged irregularities in welfare schemes under the AAP government.
Beyond political strategy, Athawale also addressed the alleged desecration of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's statue in Ludhiana. He condemned the act, suggesting 'anti-social elements are trying to create division in society.' Emphasizing Ambedkar's 'very grand' stature, Athawale asserted that insulting his statue would not diminish his respect, labeling the actions as 'completely wrong.' He called for a thorough investigation into the incident and the immediate arrest of those responsible. This incident had previously ignited public outrage, culminating in a city-wide 'bandh' observed last Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Ludhiana.
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đź“° Source: Mangalorean News