Bathinda, Dec 17 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday gave a major push to development of the Bathinda Lok Sabha segment by announcing grants of Rs 1,125 crore during the 'Vikas Rally'.

Addressing the gathering, Mann said this is not a political rally but this is a celebration of development which is being witnessed in every nook and corner of the state.

He said these kinds of public rallies had stopped in Punjab during the previous regimes but after assuming the charge of office, his government has started this trend of development.

Mann said in the last 25 years, only four-five people had ruled the state and exploited its resources for their vested personal interests. He said out of these five two were from one family whereas two were from another one.

These people mercilessly looted the state for their vested political interests, thereby hampering the development of the state.

However, the Chief Minister said these leaders were sent to political oblivion by the people during the Assembly polls in 2022.

He said though people had ousted the entire Badal family from the political field in the Assembly polls but now the time has come when their lone remaining face should be ousted from Bathinda too.

Mann said these people had ruined the state for their vested political interests and now the time has come when they should be taught a lesson for their sins.

The Chief Minister also asked the people to question the silence of BJP leaders Amarinder Singh and Sunil Jakhar on the anti-Punjab stance of the BJP.

In his address, Kejriwal said none of the previous governments had ever given Rs 1,125 crore to Bathinda for its development. He said similar packages were given to Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur districts by the Mann government for their comprehensive development and now Bathinda has been chosen.

Kejriwal said these funds will be used for the setting up of state-of-the-art schools, hospitals and providing other facilities to the people.

The Delhi Chief Minister dared the Akali, the BJP and the Congress leadership to list even a single work of development done by them in the past 75 years. He said that contrary to this Mann has taken several pro-people initiatives in the past more than 18 months of his tenure.

Kejriwal said the state government is giving free and uninterrupted power to the people along with other facilties to give boost to development of state and prosperity of its people.