PHAGWARA (Punjab): Launching a frontal attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine, Congress president Sonia Gandhi told an election rally here on Wednesday that development was possible only in a peaceful atmosphere. Underlining the pace of development during the past five years in the State, she said, "This is possible only when there is a stable and progressive government with a vision to build the future. There have been elements that spoil this atmosphere, pit one against the other and practise the politics of destruction instead of development."

Ms. Gandhi said the people of Punjab had shown the way by rejecting the SAD-BJP alliance in 2002.

Pointing out that development was an ongoing process, she said it could be achieved only when the Governments at the Centre and in the State shared the same vision and concern for the poor and downtrodden. If the Congress was voted back to power, the Government would work in tandem with the Centre and add a golden chapter on development.

Earlier, Ms. Gandhi began her election campaign at Jandiala, near Amristar. She would return for the last leg of electioneering on February 10. Punjab goes to polls on February 13.

Healthy economy

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh claimed that while he inherited empty coffers from the Akali Government, the treasury was now in a healthy state, even after undertaking development works worth Rs. 12,000 crore.

Whenever the Akalis came to power, they promoted policies of confrontation, which affected the common man. The Congress-led Central Government was for peace with Pakistan, and border trade would benefit Punjab, he said.

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