Manpreet calls for united Oppn

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 24

Peoples’ Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal said the people of the state were fed up with the SAD-BJP and that his party would welcome any move to ‘unite the Opposition’ in view of the next elections.

At a press conference here, Manpreet said, “But any such move must be initiated by the bigger parties. We will give our support on seeing the common minimum programme of such a joint forum.” He said the PPP being a comparatively a smaller party couldn’t initiate such a move.

Manpreet said during the last industrial summit, the state government had claimed that an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore would be made in the state. “We have attracted an investment of only Rs 14,000 crore and that too from the telecom industry which is upgrading to 3G or 4G networks. It has offered no new employment and the state government will not earn any revenue as taxes levied on telecom are collected by the Central government,” he said.

Manpreet also accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of not addressing serious issues in the state. On the protests faced by the SAD delegation abroad, he said, “I am not surprised because people are fed up.”