Chandigarh, Mar 4 (Reporter) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday slammed the opposition for 'running away' from the Governor's address and said it was unable to digest the path-breaking initiatives taken by his government for the state’s holistic development. Winding up the discussion on the Governor's address in the Assembly, he said the opposition leaders are least bothered about the state or the people and their only aim is to grab political power by 'hook or crook'. He said while his government has been working tirelessly for farmers’ welfare, the opposition has been merely shedding crocodile tears on the issues of the food growers. Mann said that due to their dubious role, these leaders were rightly rejected by the people of the state and now the people will teach them a befitting lesson during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Mann said poor and regressive policies of the erstwhile state governments had ruined the future of the people who had to do menial jobs for managing two square meals a day. He said in the last two years, the government had not even once said that the exchequer of the state was empty. However, he said that every single penny of the state has been used judiciously for the well-being of the people. Coming down heavily on the opposition leaders, Mann called them “greedy” and “only worried about the power as they cannot live without it”. Mann said these leaders are finding it difficult to survive being in opposition. Mann said people were so fed up with the dismal performance of these leaders, that they elected 95 per cent of people from non-political background as their MLAs in 2022. He said that the state government had scripted a new success story by purchasing Goindwal power plant earlier owned by a private company GVK Power Power for Rs 1080 crore. For the first time, a reverse trend was witnessed in the state as the government purchased a private power plant whereas in the past the state governments used to sell their assets to the favourite individuals at 'throw-away' prices. He presented a lock to the Speaker of the House and urged him to lock the gate of the Assembly from inside so that the opposition could not go outside. Mann said the opposition used to demand long sittings of the Assembly session but were now running away from it. He said having long sessions were of no use if the opposition tried to jeopardise the sittings by staging walkouts. He said the escapist mindset is responsible for the debacle of the Opposition as people have rejected their attitude to run away from issues of public importance. He said running away from the core issues is in the DNA of the Congress and the state Congress is following it. Citing an example, he took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. saying when the Budget session of the country was on, he was wandering in Chattisgarh. Continuing to assail the Congress, Mann said it was the “most irresponsible” party in the country which is least bothered about the common man. Mann took potshots at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, saying leaders like him are a “blot” on the democracy of the country as they even lack basic etiquette. He said although they have studied in convent schools, they don't even have the basic courtesy to talk with anyone as they are “arrogant and power-mad”. Equating former state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu with a goods train that chugged from Kathua towards Punjab without a driver, Mann said he is a 'one-man show', who is not bothered about anyone. He said the Congress is like an old model car, which cannot be updated as per the modern requirements. Mann said the state is witnessing a new era as parents are shifting their children to the government schools from the privately-run ones. He said that the State government will continue its endeavours to serve the people of Punjab zealously for carving out a 'Rangla Punjab'...////...