Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party's National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann addressed a joint press conference on Thursday. Arvind Kejriwal also debunked allegations of Congress that Punjab Zila Parishad & Block Samiti polls were not carried out in fair manner.
CM Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal both presented list of zones where Congress won by minor margins. CM Mann also took a dig at Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) that calls itself 'Pendu Party' outlining that the party is at number 3.
Addressing the press conference, Arvind Kejriwal said, "Results of Punjab Zila Parishad and Block Panchayat Samiti elections came yesterday. The results show that the Aam Aadmi Party has swept the elections in the rural belts of Punjab. It shows that there Aam Aadmi Party wave in Punjab."
"In both Zila Parishad and Block Panchayat Samiti, AAP has won almost 70 percent of seats. This shows that people in rural areas have expressed their faith in Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab."
Kejriwal further said, "Election of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samitis took place in 2013. The 2013 election took place after 2012. In 2012, Akali Dal won the election and just after 1 year Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections took place. So, you can say that the election took place in Akali Dal's honeymoon period."
"Then election took place in 2018. Again the rural body election took place after 2017 Elections in which Congress had registered win. This time, Zila Parishad and Block Panchayat Samiti elections have taken place just 1 year before the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Elections. So, now, there is no anti-incumbency but pro incumbency in Punjab due to Mann Government's work. People are happy with Mann Government policies."
Kejriwal further outlined, "The election that took place in 2013 and 2018, it happened with abuse of power (dhakkasahi). There was no videography of counting. This election was fair as video recording has been done and all evidence is present."
"There are 580 seats out of total where candidates have won with less than 100 vote margin. Out of these 580 seats, AAP has won 261, 319 have won by the opposition. If we would have misused the machinery, we just had to call DC and SDM, so these 319 seats that the opposition parties have won, these two would have been won by the Aam Aadmi Party. But, we did not misused our power."
"Let me give you some more numbers of Zila Parishad Election. In Sagrur's Phagwala Zone, Congress has won by merely 5 votes. If the opposition has won by a mere 5 votes, then what else proof do you need that election was conducted in free and fair manner. Sri Mukatsar Sahib's Kot Bhai Zone is again won by Congress by just 41 votes."
"In Block Samiti, Fatehgarh Sahib's Lakhanpur Zone was by Congress by just 3 votes. Jalandhar's Gill zone is won by Congress by 3 votes, Ludhiana's Bajra zone won by Congress by just 3 votes, Gurdaspur's Chagguwal zone is won by Congress by 4 votes, Hoshiarpur's Ghorewaha won by Congress by 4 votes. If the Congress has won by such low margin, then I don't think there can be more free and fair election than this."
Former Delhi Chief Minister further said, "Now, which works of Mann Government have please people living in villages of Punjab? The first example is Yudh Nashian Virudh. The other parties were responsible for pushing Punjabi into drugs. For the first time, under Mann Government, people saw bulldozer action on houses of drug peddlers. More than 25,000 people have been arrested under this.
Farmers got Canal water supply after waiting for 70 to 75 years. During the Congress and Akali's regime farmers had to wake up at 3 am as electricity used to come at that time and then they used to get water from tubewell. Under our government, farmers are getting 8 hours of non stop electricity. Due to which then can use tubewell even in the afternoon.
Over 90 percent households in Punjab are getting free electricity. Over 19,000 KM of village roads are now being made The quality of roads that are being made is excellent. For the first time 5 years guarantee clause has been put in the contract of companies who are making roads. 58,000 government jobs have been given to children of farmers and laborers."
Arvind Kejriwal announced, "From next month, people will start receiving Rs 10 lakh worth of medical insurance. In January, process of making health card will start."
Thereafter, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann outlined, " Dhuri is my constituency. From Dhuri's Dhura zone Congress has won. I have a full list that shows Congress has won by a small margin. Channi is the first person who first questioned around free and fair election. Now go and ask Channi how Congress has won on seats in Jalandhar.