PM slams Cong, trains gun at Capt

In a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee today accused him of having no time to appr...

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In a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee today accused him of having no time to approach the Centre with the state’s genuine demands.

Addressing his maiden election rally in Punjab, Vajpayee said though the Centre was willing to extend all help to the state, the CM had not sought any assistance so far. Asserting that he was a strong advocate of better Centre-state relations, the PM said that he would not like to comment on the working of the Punjab government.

Vajpayee was here to extend support to SAD-BJP alliance candidate Capt Kanwaljit Singh. Pooh-poohing reports that the Centre had tried to scuttle Amarinder’s visit to Pakistan, Vajpayee said when the threat of terrorism looms large, certain rules have to be observed.

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Vajpayee said when the CM had led a deputation to Delhi sometime back, he had invited him for tea at his residence. ‘‘But instead of accepting this invitation, the CM preferred to sit in dharna outside my residence,’’ the PM said.

Slamming the Congress, he said that parties which had made light of poll alliances were now desperately running around to finalise poll pacts.