Rupnagar: BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said new political parties coming up in Punjab ahead of Assembly elections next year, have no future in the state.
“New political parties have no future in Punjab. The state’s interest would be served if SAD-BJP alliance forms the government. BJP heads the government at the Centre and development grants would flow to Punjab,” he said.
The Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping was addressing a rally after laying the foundation stone of four to six laning of Ropar-Phagwara section of National Highway 21 in Rupnagar. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Sukhbir Badal, in his address, alleged that if AAP comes to power nobody would procure paddy and other crops.
Navjot Singh Sidhu along with legislator Pargat Singh and two Ludhiana legislators Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Bains have floated Awaaz-e-Punjab, while former Congress lawmaker Jagmeet Singh Brar is leading Lokhit Abhiyaan.
The centre would spent Rs. 2 lakh crore on road infrastructure in Punjab, of which Rs. 33,000 crore has already been spent, Gadkari said, and stressed on the urgent need to reduce traffic congestion as around 1.50 lakh people die in over five lakh road accidents in the country every year.
He asked the state government to reduce dependence on roads and shift to water transportation as Punjab has natural water resources and full advantage should be taken of it.
The centre has proposed to Delhi-Amritsar Express highway which will connect to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir and the distance between Amritsar and Delhi will be covered in two-and-half hours, Mr Gadkari said.
PTI