Patiala: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday accused the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP of joining hands to obstruct Punjab’s development and protect shared political interests.Addressing a gathering at Mandoli village in the Ghanaur assembly constituency after dedicating canal water supply projects for two districts, Mann described the upcoming electoral contest as “one versus all”.He alleged that the Congress, SAD and the BJP had different flags and election symbols but shared the common intention of exploiting Punjab.Mann said traditional parties were uncomfortable because his govt was using Punjab’s resources for public welfare rather than benefiting influential political families. He claimed the three parties were united against his administration despite publicly engaging in political rivalry.Referring to defections, Mann cited former Congress functionaries Manpreet Singh Badal, Sunil Jakhar and Ravneet Singh Bittu joining the BJP. However, he emphasised that Punjab’s electorate had previously defeated prominent leaders, including Captain Amarinder Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Bikram Singh Majithia.Mann said the water projects would provide an uninterrupted supply of clean, canal-based drinking water to more than five lakh people. He said groundwater in several villages was affected by excessive fluoride and heavy-metal contamination, which posed health risks.The CM said providing safe drinking water was an investment in public health and every family, irrespective of its economic circumstances, had an equal right to clean water.Mann also cited Aam Aadmi Clinics and Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana among govt’s healthcare measures. Under the scheme, eligible families receive health insurance cover of up to Rs 10 lakh, he said.On agriculture, Mann said daytime electricity supply enabled farmers to irrigate their fields without losing sleep at night. He added that expansion of canal-based irrigation had reduced dependence on groundwater and helped conserve water resources.Mann said public money would continue to be spent on education, healthcare, drinking water, irrigation and other essential services. Emphasising that voters judge govts by their performance, the CM predicted that Punjab’s electorate would reject major opposition nominees in the 2027 elections, as it had done in 2022.
