Sanjha Morcha blows poll bugle,says Manpreet is CM candidate

Flanked by SAD (Longowal),CPI and CPM leaders,Manpreet described the alliance as a meeting of minds on principles of secularism and nationalism to restore the dignity of the state and its people. “The PPP will be the senior alliance partner of the Morcha. CPI and CPM,being national parties,will contest on the elections on their own party symbols,while the PPP and SAD (Longowal) will fight under a common election symbol,” he said while addressing mediapersons here.

The distribution of seats among the alliance partners for the 117-member assembly is yet to be decided,Manpreet added.

On being queried as to who the Morcha would project as the CM candidate,CPI’s Joginder Dayal said,“As the chairman of the alliance and senior partner,Manpreet will be the CM candidate”.

The Morcha in the build-up to the Assembly elections would launch ‘Izzat Sambhal Yatra’ (Save Punjab’s dignity) on November 6 from Dhudike,the birthplace of freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai. “There is a acute sense of embarrassment among the Punjabis in the state,country and all over the world. The two-month yatra will cover the entire state and would tell people about the deplorable condition in which Punjab finds itself in economically,socially,morally and culturally,” Badal said.

Stating that the yatra shall be a continuation of his earlier Jago Punjab Movement,Manpreet said,“Today,we feel strengthened by the support of the common Punjabis. Now we are going back to them,to exhort them to save the state from the most venal variety of politics seen anywhere in the world.”

One person from each of the four parties – SS Johl,Nirmal Singh Dhariwal,Charan Singh Virdi,Baldev Singh Mann and Gagandeep Singh Barnala will be the vice-chairmen of the Morcha.

Meanwhile,in the build up to the assembly elections,Manpreet has taken to the micro-blogging site to take on the Badals.

‘Will prefer fresh elections than support Congress’

In the eventuality of a hung verdict in the Assembly elections polls next year,the Sanjha Morcha will ask the Governor to order fresh polls than support the Congress,People’s Party of Punjab president and Morcha chairman Manpreet Badal said while replying to a query. “We would ask the poeple of Punjab to give a decisive verdict,” he said.