Congress will sweep elections in Punjab: Amarinder

Patiala, April 26 (IANS) Confident of a clean sweep for the Congress in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday said that in the absence of a Modi wave, and with no achievements to boast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in a state of complete regression and would be ousted from power.

Amarinder Singh, who accompanied his wife and Congress candidate from Patiala, Preneet Kaur, to the Deputy Commissioner Office here for the filing of her nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections, said the mood in Punjab had changed completely from 2014.

"We will win for sure, we will win all the 13 seats, including Bathinda (from where Harsimrat Badal is contesting) and Ferozepur (from where Sukhbir Badal is contesting)," he told media here.

"The mood in Punjab is completely changed from what it was in 2014. The Congress is going all out to deliver on its Mission-13 and give all the 13 seats to Rahul Gandhi," Amarinder Singh said.

Amarinder Singh's son, Raninder Singh, daughter Jai Inder Kaur and grandson Nirvan were also in Patiala on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be campaigning in Punjab, though the dates and venues were yet to be decided.

He also rejected the possibility of actor Sunny Deol posing any serious threat to Congress candidate in Gurdaspur, Sunil Jakhar, who also filed his nomination papers in Gurdaspur on Friday in the presence of the Chief Minister.

"Sunil has been working on the ground in Gurdaspur while Deol had no locus standi there. Sunny Deol will run away, back to Bollywood, and not be there for the people of Gurdaspur," Amarinder Singh added.

Polling is scheduled to be held in Punjab on May 19.