Even as Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu shared his ‘Punjab Model’ on social media ahead of the state Assembly elections on 20 February, the Punjab Congress chief on Saturday said he is fine with the party high command decision to announce incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as party’s CM face.

Sidhu said there is no infighting in the ruling party in Punjab. “Where is the infighting in Congress? Rahul Gandhi has given a decision and we have all welcomed it. No one has any issue with the high command’s decision,” he told a TV news channel.

Advertisement

Expressing confidence in Congress’s victory in the upcoming polls, Sidhu said that there won’t be a hung Assembly. Responding to multi-cornered fights in Punjab may result in a hung Assembly, the state Congress chief said “Punjab has never given a hung Assembly, it will go with one party… doesn’t matter how many parties are contesting elections”. Responding to the chances of the Aam Aadmi Party in the upcoming election, Sidhu said their Delhi model has already failed.

In his Punjab Model released today even as Congress is yet to release its poll manifesto for the state, Sidhu laid down 13 points for the welfare of the people.

“As promised to people of Punjab, sharing ‘Punjab Model’ inspired by Guru Nanak’s philosophy of ‘terah-terah’ & ‘Sarbat Da Bhala’. Rajiv Ji’s vision to empower Panchayat/ULBs. New system scuttles all theft, erases mafia from Punjab, fills coffers to double them for peoples welfare,” Sidhu said in a tweet.

He promised to pay back outstanding debt and boost Punjab’s annual revenue by Rs 50,000 Crore. Promising financial support to farmers, the Congress leader said the government will pay the difference in selling price and MSP directly to the farmers. Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) will be formulated for crops sold below MSP in the state.

Farmers with less than five acres of land will be given labour subsidies. On the employment front, Sidhu said five lakh jobs will be created in the next five years for skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled labourers in urban areas. Sidhu also promised Rs Five lakh health insurance coverage and free treatment in all government hospitals for all citizens of Punjab.