By Raju William
Ludhiana, May 12, 2018: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday welcomed the Opposition demand of deploying paramilitary forces during Shahkot Bypoll.
In a tweet short while back, the CM said that this would deprive the Akali Dal of any "frivolous excuse" to blame the government of misuse of official machinery after its imminent defeat in the bypoll.
He said that neither he nor his government or Congress had any objection to the EC deploying paramilitary forces to ensure peace during the bypoll, as demanded by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
In fact, he said he welcomed any such move as it would deprive the Akalis of the opportunity to take refuge in the frivolous and fabricated excuse of misuse of official machinery after the result of the bypoll, which they are all set to lose ignominiously.
Captain Amarinder said it was ironical that the Akalis, who had abused all the democratic systems during their own regime, using all possible tools to prevent the Congress from taking over the state’s reins, were now running to the Election Commission to seek paramilitary forces to ensure peaceful polls.
The Akalis had been thoroughly exposed for their anti-people stance and their cheap tactics, which they were once again desperately deploying to divert voter attention from their own misdoings during their decade-long rule, Captain Amarinder said.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s brazen support of Mehtapur SHO, who was now found by the Election Commission itself to be unfit for duty, was part of the Akali campaign to malign the Congress leadership and government ahead of the poll, which was all set to seal their fate in Punjab’s political journey, the Chief Minister added.