Launching his outreach programme 'halqe vich Captain' from the home constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today said his rival has "lost touch" with the people and is "concentrating mostly on his private business".
"Sukhbir understands people don't like him and he has already started avoiding meeting them and was focusing mostly on his private business like building five star hotels and the transport business," the PCC chief claimed.
He said Mr Badal is trying to "run away" from his "Jalalabad constituency...so much so that in one of the villages there 37 farmers committed suicide and he did not even care to visit".
Mr Badal is exploring the options of fighting from Maur Mandi in Bathinda, he claimed.
"But no matter how much he tries to run away, we will chase and defeat him wherever he goes," the former chief minister said.
"There are indications he has given up on Jalalabad," Mr Singh said.
Explaining as to why he started his outreach programme, 'halqe vich Captain' (Captain in constituency) from his rival's seat, Mr Singh said, "I wanted to make a point that if the condition of the people living in the Deputy CM's constituency can be so pitiable what will be the condition in rest of the state."
During the six-month programme, he will cover all 117 Assembly Constituencies to connect with voters in the run up to the 2017 Assembly elections in the state.
On the issue of allotment of ticket, he said, winability will be the only criterion.
A block president in Lambi, who indulged in indiscipline during yesterday's protest dharna has been suspended.
Mr Singh said, he had already announced that all the deserving candidates will be duly and properly accommodated if the Congress forms the government in Punjab.
During his programme, Mr Singh met party workers and listened to their problems and grievances, which are being registered and recorded by a team of volunteers.
More than 3,000 people today gathered on the first day of Mr Amarinder Singh's outreach programme.
"I have come here today to hear your problems, to discuss the issues you face. I request you all to share with me your problems and I will look into them, set up a taskforce within the first 100 days of my government being elected to resolve your issues," he said.
He also interacted with over 1500 local party workers, where they shared constituency issues and gave their suggestions for campaign.
