Bathinda (Punjab), Jan 21 (PTI) Ahead of civic polls in Punjab next month, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday accused the Congress-led government of not spending any money in urban areas during the last four years.

Badal said the people would take them to task in the forthcoming municipal elections for bringing development to a "standstill".

Elections to eight municipal corporations and 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab will be held on February 14.

Badal was here for the inauguration of a party election office, according to a party statement.

The SAD president alleged that after “failing” to provide even basic facilities in cities the Congress government was trying to “misuse” the civil administration to win the municipal polls.

“I warn officers not to fall into the trap of Congress leaders and indulge in electoral malpractices. We will form a judicial commission after coming to power to identify officers who go against the basic tenets of democracy so that due action can be taken against them”, he said.

He said, “The State Election Commission (SEC) should also not function like a Congress Commission and should transfer all officers who were posted at a place for more than three years."

Badal said the party had already announced its list of 40 candidates and that the remaining candidates would be named soon.

He said people were already “fed up” with the Congress and particularly with Finance Minister Manpreet Badal who had promised one industry per month to Bathinda but delivered nothing.

On the ongoing farmers' agitation, Badal alleged that the central government was not “serious or sincere” towards farmers for their cause.

He said there was no need to hold several meetings when there was a unanimous view among farmers that the three agri laws should be repealed.

He said the government should not try to stop farmers from holding a tractor parade on Republic Day along with the national flag. "This is a patriotic act," he said.

Badal also directed party workers to "step up efforts to make the farmers' march on January 26 a rousing success.".

"There is great enthusiasm among Akali workers for the farmers' tractor march on January 26. We are taking part in this peaceful and democratic protest march in full strength. Workers have already started reaching Delhi in large numbers. But those who...are unable to make it to the national capital that day will be organising similar activity wherever they happen to be," said Badal said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)