New Delhi/ Bathinda (March 3, 2014): People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) chief Manpreet Badal has said that an alliance with the Congress was essential for the political survival of the outfit he had floated.
On the verge of clinching a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, Manpreet Badal said he had no qualms about taking on his sister-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Akali Dal in the Bathinda Lok Sabha segment. He said he was confident of putting up a “tough” fight.
“A lion will fight a lion. I selected the toughest seat in Punjab because I had a point of principle to prove. I know it is difficult to defeat the wife of the Deputy Chief Minister and daughter-in-law of the Chief Minister but it is not impossible,” he said.
Manpreet Badal denied he would contest on the Congress symbol.
Asked how he would explain his alliance with the Congress when for the most part of his career he had criticized Congress policies, Manpreet said the alliance was important to ensure the PPP survived politically.
Manpreet had met Rahul Gandhi:
The PPP chief had met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi before entering in poll pacts with the Congress. He said he would seek an additional seat from the Congress — besides Bathinda (for PPP) and Faridkot (for CPI). He is scheduled to meet the Congress central leadership in Delhi over the next two days. Manpreet Badal said the Doon School connection of the two leaders helped break barriers of communication.
Bhagwant Mann, who has decided to part ways with People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Badal, today said he would join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on March 3.
Mann is the likely AAP candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency. Opposed to the PPP’s alliance with the Congress, he said he would send his resignation to Manpreet Badal.
“I was doing well as a comedian and a TV artiste but I gave up my career and joined the PPP at Manpreet’s insistence… he had taken oath at the memorial of Shaheed Bhagat Singh to fight against the corrupt political forces,” he said.
Earlier Bhagwant Mann had accused Manpreet Badal for selling out PPP to the Congress Party just for one seat.