Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 2 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urged voters to press the right button to change the state government as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched its maiden electoral campaign in Chhattisgarh. Pushing his Punjab model of governance, Mann asked voters to vote for the sake of their children.
"On voting day, do not press the button in haste. Remember who you are pressing the button for. This decision will change you and your children. Luck will shine if you press the right button Otherwise the last 23 years had been the same for you, the next five years will be the same as well," Mann said.
Asking people to make the right choice, he said, "You do not need to take any exam to change the government. There is no coaching required. Just pressing the right button will change the government."
The Punjab CM, along with party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was addressing a mega rally at Science College Ground in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur.
Attacking the Congress which the AAP toppled before forming the state government in Punjab, Mann said, "Those who used to say in Punjab that they have the money and so they have been forming the government for the last many years, today their money has been forfeited."
"Congress should know when to put a board in front of its headquarters saying that MLAs are sold cheaply here. Congress is living by selling MLAs," Mann said.
On the free electricity that the people of Punjab has been availing since the AAP came to power in the state, he said, "It's been one year, electricity bill of 90 per cent people in Punjab is free, 600 units of electricity is free in Punjab."
He added that since the private thermal power plants were running at a loss, the Punjab government will be buying it at its own expense. As soon as the land and properties of the companies are taken over by the government, they will be auctioned and given to the people, he added.
Addressing the Punjabis living in Chhattisgarh, Mann said, "Many Punjabis live in Chhattisgarh. They should come and see the Punjab that we have built. Punjabis are getting electricity free of cost, they are getting free water in their fields. Punjab should be made Punjab again, not London or California."
On the education model in AAP-ruled Delhi, Mann said, "The government schools in Delhi are very good. For the first time in the country, you must have seen a rickshaw puller's child and a judge's child studying together, sitting on the same bench."
Taking a dig at the Congress government in Chhattisgarh, the Punjab CM said, "If poverty ends, who will come to people like Bhupesh Baghel with applications?"
Mann also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling AAP's subsidy schemes as 'revdis'. "They (BJP) feel very sad since we are providing free treatment, education and electricity to the poor," he said.
Mann said, "Ask Modi who dished out the papad (snack) that 15 lakhs will be deposited in every person's account. At least people are getting our revdis. Even their savings were taken away by them through demonetisation."
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