What change did AAP govt bring in Punjab's villages: BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia

Chandigarh, Dec 12 (PTI) Ahead of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls in Punjab, senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia on Friday asked the AAP government what change it had brought in the rural areas of the state.

Speaking to the media here, Kalia said the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls have been announced in the state but AAP leaders, including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, are busy pointing fingers at opposition parties.

They should highlight how many roads have been constructed in villages and what is the condition of hospitals and schools in villages. They did not say anything about their performance with regard to villages, he said.

"Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the finance minister should tell people what they did for villages in three years and 10 months. What 'badlav' (change) did they bring since they sought votes for 'badlav'. How many poll promises have been fulfilled?" he asked.

Replying to a question on the possibility of the BJP joining hands with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the 2027 Punjab polls, Kalia said his party decided in 2022 that it would contest the state polls on its own and form the government in the state.

The party is working towards realising this.

On BJP leader Amarinder Singh recently advocating for a pre-poll alliance between the party and the SAD for the 2027 polls, he said, "Captain Sahib is a senior leader in Punjab. I respect him. But the BJP decided in 2022 that we will fight on our own." The zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab are scheduled for December 14. The counting of votes will be taken up three days after the polls. PTI CHS DIV DIV