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Amarinder keen to contest against Punjab CM Badal from Lambi

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh on Saturday said he has sought the party high command's permission to fight the upcoming Assembly election from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's assembly constituency of Lambi to ensure the "total defeat" of the Akali leadership in the state.

Amarinder was talking to reporters here to welcome into the Congress fold former AAP leader Daljit Singh.

He said he wanted to fight against the Chief Minister on his home turf as he wished to defeat all the top Akali leaders "responsible for destroying the state through drugs, mafia and the goonda raj".

The PPCC chief said he had requested the Congress high command to allow him to fight the Assembly polls from Lambi so that he could free Punjab from the "vicious and destructive rule of the Badals".

He said he desired to fight both Lambi and Patiala, if permitted by the party.

Later in a tweet he said, "Have decided to fight Punjab Elections 2017 from Lambi. Will make it official soon." 

Amarinder has been given ticket from Patiala (Urban).

From Lambi, AAP has already fielded former Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh against Badal. "The entire state is in shambles," Amarinder alleged and lambasted Badal as well as his family and associates for bringing Punjab to such a "shameful state". The former Punjab chief minister cited the example of the Nabha jail break to point out how "goondas were being allowed a free run in the state to help the Akalis during the polls".

Amarinder said if Congress forms the government in the state, it would open a probe into all "Akali scams and punish every person found guilty of any criminal deed, especially drug trade".

Reiterating his opposition to "use of violence" against the Badals, he urged the people to "vent their frustration and anger" against the Akalis through the ballot.

Former AAP leader Daljit Singh joins Congress 

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Daljit Singh, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh from Amritsar, on Saturday joined Congress here.

Amarinder said Punjab Congress will be strengthened with Singh's entry.

Singh, contesting on an AAP ticket, had lost to Amarinder in the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Amritsar. He was expelled from AAP in July 2015 as its Punjab disciplinary committee chairman and state executive member for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities. 

After joining Congress, Singh claimed that AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was "dangerous" for the country. "Conspiracies, not service, is their (AAP's) only agenda," he alleged.

He alleged there was no democracy in AAP and anyone who spoke against the "malpractices in the party was suppressed." 
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