AAP gave tickets to many candidates with criminal background: Channi

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday hit out at the AAP, accusing it of spreading falsehood against him and also giving tickets to many candidates with criminal background.

Addressing the media here, he also promised free education in government schools and colleges and one lakh government jobs in the first year if the Congress returns to power after the February 20 assembly elections.

Slamming the Arvind Kejriwal led party, he said the AAP gave tickets to 44 people who came from other political parties.

“Every third and fourth candidate of the AAP is facing criminal cases,” Channi charged.

Taking a dig at the AAP's claim of bringing a change, he said the party fielded many candidates who have been rejected by other political parties.

Accusing Kejriwal of building his party's entire campaign on the basis of “lies and falsehood,” he said the AAP leaders were spreading falsehood against him after realising that they are not going to win the coming elections.

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Channi also rejected Kejriwal's claims of his defeat from both Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur assembly seats.

The Congress party's chief ministerial face said that he had earlier challenged Kejriwal to fight against him but he did not accept it.

“I will win with a margin of not less than 25,000 votes from both seats and it can even reach 50,000 votes,” he said.

However, Channi claimed that AAP's CM face Bhagwant Mann is losing badly from the Dhuri assembly seat.

He alleged that Mann did not bring a single project to Sangrur Parliamentary constituency from where he was MP twice.

Channi also dared Mann and Kejriwal to swap his assets with him.

“See, every day they claim I have assets worth Rs 170 crore. Look at my affidavit. They are projecting Rs 2-4 crore as Rs 170 crore,” he said.

He further lashed out at the AAP for linking him with the recent Enforcement Directorate raids and illegal sand mining business.

Channi promised free education in government schools and colleges if his party returns to power.

“We have decided that it is the government's responsibility to provide education to each family. Therefore, we will make education free in government schools and government colleges and universities".

Besides, the SC scholarship scheme will be strengthened, he said.

He also promised to bring a general category scholarship scheme for children belonging to economically weaker families in order to provide free education to them.

Channi also promised to come out with a fee regulation commission for regulating fee of colleges and universities in the state.

Skill-oriented education will be promoted in the state, he said while noting that a skill university was coming up at Chamkaur Sahib.

Channi promised that if his party returns to power, one lakh government jobs will be given in the first year of forming the government.

He said that in his 111-day long tenure as chief minister, he implemented what he announced as he referred to various decisions like reducing electricity tariff and fuel prices.

He also talked about providing free health services in government hospitals.

Channi also said that there will be no 'kucha' house in the state and promised 'pucca' houses for the poor people in the first six months if his party again forms the government.

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