Narayangarh, Sep 1 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday questioned the election-bound Haryana why it’s lagging behind in getting free electricity.

Addressing a ‘Badlav Jan Sabha’ (change public meeting) in Narayangarh, the hometown of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Mann said: “Delhi is on one side and Punjab is on the other, with Haryana in between. Both Delhi and Punjab have Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments, providing free electricity and opening new hospitals. However, Haryana is lagging behind in these aspects.”

He pointed out that Haryana's people have repeatedly given chances to the Congress, the BJP, and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), but there has been no improvement.

“Just as Delhi and Punjab found a new path and a new engine for progress, Haryana needs a new engine as well, not any double engine. Over the past 78 years, previous governments have only increased people's difficulties.”

Mann promised that Narayangarh would be made a district to enable such developments. He stated that he is standing before them having provided 45,000 permanent jobs in Punjab, with no bribes involved. “Hence, it is time to shut down their (BJP and Congress’) shops”.

The Aam Aadmi Party represents a government with genuine intentions, he said: “You can call your relatives and verify that 90 per cent of households in Punjab receive zero electricity bills, a reality for the past two years. Free electricity is also available in Delhi. Why can't it be free in Haryana?”

He said they should focus on educating their children.

“No blue or yellow card will alleviate your poverty; your children will overcome poverty through education and by becoming officers. The Aam Aadmi Party has improved government schools in Delhi and Punjab; now it's Haryana's turn.”

The Punjab Chief Minister said his contemporary Arvind Kejriwal was an income tax officer before leaving his job to serve people and starting the Aam Aadmi Party, eventually becoming Delhi's Chief Minister three times.

Haryana will go to the polls for the 90-member assembly on October 5.