Chandigarh, Jun 11 (PTI) Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring Wednesday attacked the AAP government over its launch of ‘Udyog Kranti’ initiative, saying the announcement was made keeping in mind the bypoll to Ludhiana West assembly constituency which is an industrial hub.
The Ludhiana MP also alleged that the state government launched the initiative when the electoral process is on, which amounts to violation of the model code of conduct.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched several new initiatives including ‘FastTrack Punjab Portal’, claiming that these will revolutionize industrial growth in the state.
Kejriwal had said a set of 12 initiatives launched under the ‘Punjab Udyog Kranti’ would revolutionize how industry in the state operates and how industry can unlock value of its land and become more competitive nationally and globally.
Reacting to the announcement, Warring said the hype created around the programme was so characteristic of the AAP where the budget on advertisements and publicity outruns the actual cost of the project.
He said the state was financially in a “mess” and the state government was “surviving on borrowed money”.
He claimed that the trade and industry in Punjab was crying for the tax refunds, which had been delayed for months.
“Just because you are staring at an imminent defeat in Ludhiana West, you decided to make a tempting announcement of 45 days’ clearance, which obviously nobody is going to believe as everybody is sure that it is never going to happen,” he said.
The PCC president also questioned the timing of the announcement.
He alleged that this is a violation of the model code of conduct, which is in force due to the Ludhiana West by-election.
“But the Congress would still have welcomed it if it was sure that the government’s intentions are genuine and sincere. Anyone can make out the reason and purpose behind this gala event is only to influence the Ludhiana West election outcome. Everything will be forgotten on June 19,” he claimed.
The bypoll to the Ludhiana West assembly seat will take place on June 19 and the counting will be held on June 23.
The assembly seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. PTI CHS KVK KVK
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