
Shiromani Akali Dal's assembly bypoll candidate Parupkar Singh Ghumman asks Aam Aadmi Party and Congress to end ‘politics of deceit' over Halwara airport approval in Punjab's Ludhiana.
Ludhiana:
(SAD) candidate
Parupkar Singh Ghumman
on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress of playing "politics of deceit" over the upcoming Halwara international airport, claiming that rightful credit for the project belongs to the Akali leadership.
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Ghumman, who is contesting the
Ludhiana West assembly byelection
, said it was "shocking" that both AAP and Congress were trying to claim ownership of the airport project, which he asserted was revived and approved due to the efforts of former Union minister of his party, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. He claimed in a statement issued in the city that: "The project had been lying dormant in 2019 because the state's Congress govt of that time was unwilling to offer fair compensation to farmers for land acquisition.
It was only after Harsimrat Badal intervened with state officials and pushed for progress that 161 acres were acquired and the project secured central approval, finally."
He further accused the current AAP-led state govt of stalling the airport's development. "The Mann govt failed to release ₹45 crore for critical development works, leading to further delays. Instead of patting themselves on the back, AAP leaders should explain why the project was held up under their watch," he said.
Positioning the SAD as the true advocate for Ludhiana's business community, Ghumman highlighted the party's previous efforts to expand connectivity in the region. He noted that SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had earlier extended the runway at Sahnewal airport and introduced flight services to assist exporters and industrialists. When technical challenges blocked further upgrades at Sahnewal, Ghumman said, the SAD had shifted focus to developing the Halwara airport.
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The SAD candidate also took a broader swipe at the city's governance over the past eight years, saying Ludhiana had seen a steady decline in infrastructure and basic services. "All major development — from elevated roads to the Ludhiana-Chandigarh expressway, the Smart City project, mechanised street sweeping, and better bus services — happened under the SAD. Since then, the city has been in free fall," he said.
Ghumman urged voters to support the Akali Dal in the upcoming byelection and even the 2027 state elections to restore Ludhiana's development trajectory.
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