Indian Express (April 14, 1996, Chandigarh)

‘Congress Misrule’ Will End, Hopes Sondhi

Express News Service
PATIALA, April 13:  Bharatiya Janata Party’s national executive member M.L. Sondhi, who is contesting election from Patiala parliamentary seat as a party candidate, said here yesterday that the 50 years of Congress misrule would come to end after the constitution of the new parliament this year.

    M.L. Sondhi, a former Member of Parliament, currently working as Professor of International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, while addressing a press conference here yesterday said that his party would form the next government at the Centre.  If elected he said he would work for bringing Patiala forward by revitalising the economy so as to make it an advanced district like Jalandhar and Ludhiana advocating a need to project a concept of new Punjab with a truly democratic society.  He said that he would reinforce the message of human quality which had come down from Guru Nanak Dev and others like Bulle Shah.

    Sondhi said that he would persuade the multi-nationals and Non-resident Indians to establish industrial units here for generating employment avenues for at least 80 per cent Punjabis.  Besides getting the shares in the newly established industrial units, the farmers whose land was to be acquired, would be paid multiple of the market price. 

    While talking about the agricultural output prices, Sondhi said 1969 should be taken as a base year for fixing these prices.  Besides, agricultural inputs such as tractors, harvester combines, seeds, insecticides, fertilizers would be priced rationally keeping in mind the profitability of the farmers.

    Sondhi said he would work for earliest transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. 

    In reply to a question, Sondhi said that although he was a bit late in launching his electioneering but he would make up within a few days.  Although Sondhi has got a lantern as his election symbol instead of the party’s official lotus symbol, but he expressed no fears that this would harm his prospects in any way.  Talking about the symbol he said that there was a need to spread light in the villages.  He made it clear that he would not indulge in character assassination of any opposing candidate but would rather seek votes on a positive note.