logo
BJP questions AAP's Ludhiana West candidate Sanjeev Arora for taking credit of central government projects.

BJP questions AAP's Ludhiana West candidate Sanjeev Arora for taking credit of central government projects.

Time of India30-04-2025

Ludhiana: The Bharatiya Janata Party (
BJP
) has accused Rajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party's Ludhiana West assembly byelection candidate Sanjeev Arora of misleading voters by claiming credit for this city's centrally funded development projects, dubbing him "Ludhiana Ka Kejriwal" in a pointed comparison to
AAP
's national convener and Delhi's former chief minister
Arvind Kejriwal
.
Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin led the charge during a press conference on Wednesday, challenging Arora to list publicly any infrastructure or development projects secured from the Punjab govt during his three-year term in the Rajya Sabha. "Sanjeev Arora was a member of Parliament for three years before being named AAP's candidate for the
Ludhiana West byelection
. But can he name even one project that was sanctioned by the state govt through his efforts?" Sarin said.
He argued that several key developments Arora had taken credit for — including the Halwara airport, the Ludhiana railway station revamp, elevated roads, and bridges over the Sidhwan Canal — are all initiatives either fully funded or executed by the central govt. Sarin claimed that the Halwara airport was planned under the Prime Minister's Udan scheme well before Arora's term had begun. "The state govt has no role in these projects," Sarin said. "Yet Arora continues to mislead voters, much like Kejriwal in Delhi and chief minister Bhagwant Mann in Punjab — all publicity, no delivery." Sarin warned Arora that he could face the same electoral backlash as Kejriwal, whose party had suffered defeats in Delhi's municipal elections recently. "Voters know when they are being taken for a ride," he added.
Med college, Smart City claims disputed
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Alger: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun...
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
The BJP leader also alleged that the AAP candidate had claimed credit falsely for a new Employees' State Insurance (ESI) medical college in Ludhiana. "The central govt had approved 10 ESI medical colleges, and through persistent efforts, Punjab BJP had secured one for Ludhiana," Sarin claimed. He criticised AAP for circulating a recent four-page advertisement in the constituency, in which Arora had reportedly credited self for a range of centrally funded projects.
'₹850 cr vanished into Buddha Dariya'
Sarin also took aim at both AAP and Congress govts of Punjab over the handling of Ludhiana's Buddha Dariya rejuvenation project. He said that despite Rs 850 crore — mostly from central schemes — being spent, the water body remained polluted. "The public deserves answers. Where was this money spent actually?" he asked. Sarin also questioned the outcome of Rs 1,500 crore allocated under the central Smart Cities Mission. "Where is the smart city?" he asked the Punjab govt and Ludhiana administration. "The same civic issues persist, but the ruling party continues to take credit without results." The BJP has made development accountability a key theme of its campaign ahead of the Ludhiana West byelection, urging voters to scrutinise the claims of its rival parties.
MSID:: 120764984 413 |

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India eyes Rs 50,000 crore defence export target by 2029 as global demand surges
India eyes Rs 50,000 crore defence export target by 2029 as global demand surges

India Today

time37 minutes ago

  • India Today

India eyes Rs 50,000 crore defence export target by 2029 as global demand surges

India's defence sector has achieved a remarkable milestone as the country's defence exports surged to Rs 23,622 crore in the financial year 2024-25, marking a 12.04 per cent increase over the previous year's figure of Rs 21,083 crore. While indigenisation in India's defence forces has been underway for several decades, the last 11 years have seen a rapid acceleration, with the country now joining the ranks of elite global players in defence heavily dependent on imports to meet its defence needs, India is now exporting military hardware to more than 80 countries, including prominent global powers such as the United States and France. Armenia also figures among the top buyers in 2023-24, indicating the growing trust in India's defence capabilities. Public sector defence undertakings (DPSUs) and private players have both contributed significantly to the export momentum. In 2024-25, DPSUs exported equipment worth Rs 8,389 crore, a sharp 42.85 per cent jump from Rs 5,874 crore in the previous fiscal companies accounted for Rs 15,233 crore, a marginal increase from Rs 15,209 crore the year before. The Ministry of Defence has set an ambitious target of taking defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by upward trajectory is also evident in the broader scale of defence production. The sector has witnessed a staggering 174 per cent growth over the past Rs 46,429 crore in 2014-15, India's total defence production has now reached Rs 1,27,265 crore in 2023-24. The government has outlined a long-term goal of scaling domestic defence manufacturing to Rs 3 lakh crore by of the key policy initiatives fuelling this growth is the Positive Indigenisation List, under which the Ministry of Defence has banned the import of several hundred categories of weapons, equipment, and spare has not only reduced dependency on foreign suppliers but also created space for domestic innovation and production, enabling India to meet its own defence requirements with locally made InTrending Reel

Exalogic case: CM Pinarayi Vijayan files affidavit in Kerala high court opposing CBI probe
Exalogic case: CM Pinarayi Vijayan files affidavit in Kerala high court opposing CBI probe

Time of India

time38 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Exalogic case: CM Pinarayi Vijayan files affidavit in Kerala high court opposing CBI probe

Kochi: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has filed a counter-affidavit before high court opposing the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe into the controversial Exalogic-CMRL transaction, terming it a 'politically instigated litigation'. In his affidavit, he denied all allegations, including the claim that Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct company owned by his daughter T Veena, is his 'benami company,' and that he received illegal gratification from CMRL. The PIL filed by senior journalist M R Ajayan alleged that Exalogic received Rs 1.72 crore from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) as illegal gratification. He also sought an investigation into the alleged political nexus involving the CM and the companies concerned. During the last hearing, the court had directed the respondents, including the CM, to file their counter-affidavits. The matter is posted for further consideration on June 17. In his 19-page affidavit, Vijayan submitted that the petitioner had failed to produce any material to substantiate the allegations, terming the PIL a "textbook case of a fishing expedition", an attempt to prompt a roving inquiry without foundational facts. He contended that the prayer for a CBI probe was devoid of genuine public interest and was instead driven by personal and political motives, targeting him and his daughter based on a single private commercial arrangement. Vijayan stated that, as per his understanding, Exalogic was engaged to provide software and marketing consultancy services to CMRL under a legitimate agreement, and that all transactions were duly accounted for through banking channels. He disclaimed any knowledge of or involvement in his daughter's business affairs, stating that she acted independently. He also denied the allegation that he was the 'kingpin' in the transfer of Kovalam Palace to a private businessman, asserting that he had exercised no undue influence in the matter. He pointed out that he assumed office well after the transfer took place. Further, he submitted that the petitioner had neither alleged any bias or collusion on the part of the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB) nor challenged the decision of the vigilance court, which declined to direct registration of an FIR in the case. Vijayan also contended that the petitioner had failed to implead the state govt as a respondent and that entertaining a petition in the absence of any evidence of bias or inaction would undermine the constitutional framework of federalism. Additionally, he submitted that an investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is already in progress, and therefore, parallel investigations by other agencies into the same allegation cannot be undertaken.

Lop Partap Singh slams AAP of sidelining Punjabis, calls Sugarfed recruitment policy deceitful
Lop Partap Singh slams AAP of sidelining Punjabis, calls Sugarfed recruitment policy deceitful

New Indian Express

time39 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

Lop Partap Singh slams AAP of sidelining Punjabis, calls Sugarfed recruitment policy deceitful

CHANDIGARH: Senior Congress leader and opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday slammed the AAP government in Punjab, accusing it of a 'deliberate and deceitful attempt' to sideline the Punjabi language and deprive local youth of job opportunities in the recruitment for 166 posts in Sugarfed Punjab. Bajwa claimed that the AAP government initially attempted to dilute the requirement of Punjabi language proficiency by allowing candidates who hadn't passed Punjabi in Matric to appear for the examination, on the condition that they clear a basic Punjabi test during their three-year probation. "It was a clear attempt to recruit non-Punjabis by stealth. Only after a massive public outcry and media backlash did the government take a panicked U-turn and declare Punjabi compulsory again. This is not governance, it's deceit,' Bajwa said. He accused the AAP government of trying to sneak in policies that betray Punjab's linguistic and cultural ethos, only to reverse course when caught red-handed. 'This pattern has become a hallmark of the AAP regime, quietly undermining Punjab's interests, then staging a course correction to save face,' Bajwa stated.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store