Sharing the dais with PM Dr Manmohan Singh for the first time in Punjab, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Rahul Gandhi today showered praises on the Prime Minister, saying NDA prime ministerial candidate LK Advani was no match for Dr Singh.

Calling him “Shaan-e-Punjab” (pride of Punjab), the Gandhi family scion reiterated that Manmohan Singh would be the next prime minister of the country as the Congress was confident of victory in the Lok Sabha polls.

“He (PM) is the strength of our party. He is from this holy place and I bow before this sacred soil of Amritsar,” said Rahul, as the Congress youth brigade broke into thunderous applause at his words. Slogans of “Rahul bhayia balle balle’’, Rahul kee soch pe, pahra diyanga thok ke’’ rent the air.

Punjab affairs incharge Mohsina Kidwai, former Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh and PPCC chief Lal Singh were also present at the rally.

Rahul said the UPA government at the Centre had taken the country forward in all spheres. “We stand for the aam aadmi. We are not like BJP which will talk about ‘India Shining’. That slogan was taken from the privileged class, but our slogan is taken from the poor, farmers and workers and Dalits, who toil day and night to earn a livelihood,” he said.

“When the Congress-led UPA government came to power in 2004, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and we all made just one promise and that was to work for the ‘aam aadmi’ and I am proud to say that we accomplished the task,” he said.

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