Punjab Election 2022: Priyanka Gandhi says confident that party will return to power | ANI Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday held election campaigning in support of the party

candidate in Dera Bassi, Punjab. She said that people want to bring back Congress Govt in Punjab and she is very confident that the party will return to power in this election. The Amarinder

Singh-led Punjab government had to be replaced as it was being run by the BJP from Delhi, Gandhi Vadra claimed and also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party, saying it has "emerged" from

the RSS. Addressing a public meeting ahead of the February 20 elections to the 117-member state assembly, she also accused the AAP, the main opposition party in Punjab, of doing nothing in

Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), she claimed it has an ideology similar to that of the BJP. On the issue of Singh being removed as Punjab chief minister by the Congress in September last year and

being replaced by Charanjit Singh Channi, she, without naming the former chief minister, said, "It is true that for five years we had a government here, it is also true that there were

some deficiencies in that government. It lost its way somewhere." "That government stopped running from Punjab. That government started running from Delhi. In Delhi even, not by

the Congress, but was being run by the BJP and BJP-led government," Priyanka Gandhi said. "That hidden nexus has come out. That is why we had to change that government," she

said. Singh's removal from the post came following a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Later, Singh quit the Congress to form the Punjab Lok Congress

and his party will fight the polls with BJP and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) as allies. On the change of chief minister issue, Priyanka Gandhi said that "we

were listening to your voice and we were realising something wrong is happening". But things were set right and the people of Punjab got a person in Channi, "who comes from amongst

you, a chief minister who comes from a poor family, who did so much in 100-150 odd days", she said. Attacking the AAP, she said it plans to govern Punjab from Delhi as per the dictates

of Kejriwal. "So, don't repeat the last mistake by supporting the AAP," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that Punjab's government should run from Punjab. During the

'Navi Soch, Nava Punjab' meeting, she said if the Channi-led Congress government returns to power, needy families will get eight gas cylinders free each year and women from these

families will get Rs 1,100 a month. Free treatment up to Rs 20 lakh will be given in government hospitals, 100 days employment per year will be guaranteed under the state employment

guarantee scheme, Rs 10,000 a month will be given to anganwadi workers, while government school girls will get smartphones and laptops, the Congress general secretary promised. Slamming the

AAP and the BJP, she said their policies are not helping the people move ahead and appealed for bringing the Congress back to power. The incumbent regime led by Channi will again lead the

state on path of development, Priyanka Gandhi said. Accusing the Kejriwal government of doing nothing in Delhi, she said it has been a "failure" and the AAP is showing its Delhi

model through advertisements to seek votes. "Like they (AAP) are advertising (their Delhi model) before you this time, in the same manner there were big advertisements earlier, which

claimed so much development took place in Gujarat, . everybody is getting rich, state is prosperous, farmers are happy, there is employment.. But what happened? That model was only in

advertisements," she said. On the contrary people later got such a government under which unemployment increased, farmers got crushed and one which did not focus on health and

education, the Congress leader said attacking the BJP. "Delhi's reality is no different. From where the AAP emerged, it has emerged from the RSS... In Delhi, there is nothing in

the name of improvement in health and educational institutions. You are told condition of schools has improved. Come to Delhi to see the reality, ask Delhi's people how they are

living... everyone saw oxygen shortage, how hospitals were filled, that government (AAP) failed. Do you want such a government here?" she said. In the present scenario, it is very

important that "you see the reality of these parties and leaders. Till the time you do this, you cannot make the correct decision", Priyanka Gandhi said. Touching on the last year

Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which four farmers died allegedly after being knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers, she said when she went to meet the farmers' families, she felt

the pain but at the same time she was proud that the families, which were devastated after losing a member, still had women who did not bow down and stood strong. In the violence following

the incident a journalist, two BJP workers and a driver were also killed. Seeking one more tenure for the Congress, she said Channi and other leaders of her party are working round-the-clock

for people's welfare, and spelled out several decisions taken by Channi during his short stint of 111 days as chief minister. Earlier, seeking to strike a chord with the people, she

said she is married in a Punjabi family and can feel Punjabiyat from her heart. Punjabis are known to never compromise on principles and they proved this when they did not bow down during

farmers agitation, Priyanka Gandhi said. _(WITH INPUTS FROM AGENCIES)_