Punjab Congress manifesto: Captain Amarinder's leadership badly needed, says Manmohan Singh; Kejriwal reacts

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with senior Congress leaders released the party's manifesto for Punjab elections on Monday. Singh said Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh’s leadership in the state is “badly need.” (Picture: ABP News) To which, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a tweet said that all Punjab Congress leaders are camping in Delhi for tickets. 

Cong releases punjab manifesto in Del. All punjab cong leaders camping in Del for tkts. Del running punjab cong. #PunjabPunjabiyanDa

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 9, 2017

Congress manifesto for Punjab was released by the former PM at party headquarters here in the presence of top state leaders including Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Bhattal, the chairperson of the manifesto drafting panel of Punjab Congress. Speaking at the event, Manmohan Singh said “Punjab is a state with tremendous unexploited potential and it’s not been exploited because of mismanagement of the government in the last 10 years…” “Earlier also Punjab was victim of terrorism and it inflicted great deal damage on the economy and polity of Punjab and the challenge before Punjab is to rise above all and recognize people of Punjab for need of a better tomorrow.” Manmohan Singh said Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh’s leadership in the state is “badly need.” PIC/ABP News Amarinder Singh had earlier met Manmohan Singh to seek time for the document release. PIC/ABP News. Describing the election manifesto he said that it is a forward looking visionary document which promises the people of Punjab that the party will undo the damage done to Punjab economy by previous govt. “In terms of agriculture, manufacturing, services, infrastructure, social services in all these areas the present set up has not been able to use the make adequate use of potential that exists,” Singh said while lashing out at the current BJP-Akali regime. Singh said Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh’s leadership in the state is “badly need.” “Captain Sahab’s leadership is badly needed at a time because in him we have a leader of great vision. He has lot of wealth of experience and whose commitment to the cause of development in Punjab is unrivalled.” “Punjab is in for better times in leadership of Amardinder and will see all around prosperity. His government will undo all damages and create a new path way for a better tomorrow which will see people of Punjab having higher per capita incomes, better employment for youth and better infrastructure for social development,” Singh said. Adding on to the manifesto, party leader Randeep Surjewala said Akali and BJP have created obstacles for the prosperity of courageous people in Punjab and under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh party will march forward. In the manifesto, Congress has vowed to solve water problem, clean up drug menace in 4 weeks, promises stipend of Rs 2500 for unemployed youth, provide electricity at Rs 5/unit, make pool of land for industries, free education for girls from Class I to PhD, housing to homeless, guardians of governance program to commence in which ex-service men will be deputed to keep a watch on government's policies.  On Tuesday, the Congress is expecting the high profile joining of ex BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is likely to contest assembly elections in the state. State unit vice president Manpreet Badal, who was chairman of the manifesto drafting committee, will do a simultaneous release of the document in Chandigarh with senior Punjab leaders such as ex CLP leader Sunil Jakhar, former minister Preneet Kaur and Lok Sabha MP Santokh Choudhry doing district level releases at Patiala, Bathinda and Jalandhar respectively. Amarinder Singh had earlier met Manmohan Singh to seek time for the document release.