Chandigarh:
Punjab will see a massive show of political strength on December 13 as the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD and the Congress lock horns with parallel political rallies in each other's home turf.
Former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh will formally take over as the Congress party's state unit president that day at a rally on chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his family's home turf, Bathinda. The chief minister's village, Badal, and his assembly constituency Lambi abut Bathinda while his daughter in law and union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal is the area MP.
The Akalis have responded to the Congress challenge by announcing a rally in Patiala- Capt Singh's home town and the erstwhile princely state ruled by his forefathers.
It was during the SAD rally in Bathinda on November 23 that its president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had challenged Congress to hold an equally big rally in the state. As soon as his name was announced for the top post in the Punjab Congress, Capt Singh announced he had accepted the Akali challenge.
At today's rally in Gurdaspur, the deputy chief minister alleged, "Capt Amarinder Singh was honoured by pro-Khalistan elements in Canada while we are hooted by the same people there." Mr Badal's cabinet colleagues had faced a hostile group when they were visiting Canada few days ago.
Capt Singh, in turn, ridiculed Mr Badal's announcement that he would hold a rally right in front of the New Moti Bagh Palace. "He (Sukhbir Badal) has actually confirmed the public belief about his fascination for building castles in the air," he remarked.