SAD backs Murmu in Presidential election
Party takes decision in core committee meeting; says Murmu has emerged as symbol of the poor
CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday decided to support National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’S presidential nominee Droupadi Murmu in the July 18 election for India’s highest constitutional post.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal also met Murmu, who arrived in Chandigarh to seek support from a section of leaders in Haryana and Punjab, to convey his party’s decision that was taken in its core committee meeting earlier in the day. He was accompanied by party leaders Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Charanjit Singh Atwal, Prem Singh Chandumajra and Harcharan Singh Bains.
“She (Murmu) has emerged as a symbol of the poor and tribal segments in the country,” reads a resolution passed by the SAD’S top leadership after a threehour-long meeting at the party’s headquarters here.
On Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda had sought support for Murmu from Sukhbir Badal. The SAD has two members in the Lok Sabha — Sukhbir and his wife and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal — and three legislators in the state assembly, who are eligible to vote in the 16th Presidential election.
The SAD had been a part of the NDA for over two decades and ran the Punjab government in alliance with the BJP for 15 years — from 1997-2002 and 2007-17 — before severing ties in 2020 over the contentious farm laws.
“We have differences with the BJP over insecurity among the minorities and injustice meted to Punjabis, especially the Sikhs. However, our party is inspired by the ideals placed before humanity by the great Gurus for supporting the poor and downtrodden,” said a party spokesperson, adding that the party decided to support Murmu as “she symbolises the dignity of womenfolk and the cause of minorities and backward classes.”
Murmu meets Punjab, Haryana leaders
Earlier, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, Haryana BJP president OP Dhankar and Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma welcomed the Presidential nominee at Haryana Bhawan.
Union ministers Anurag Thakur and Arjun Ram Meghwal, Haryana speaker Gian Chand Gupta, state cabinet ministers and BJP-JJP legislators besides Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher were also present, said officials.
Murmu appealed to the leaders to support her, saying: “As a tribal woman, I never thought that I would be made a candidate for this post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved the slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas’ by nominating me as the candidate for the highest post of the country.” She hoped that apart from the BJP and its allies, MLAS and MPS of other parties and independents, too, will support her candidature.
Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha who was the Jharkhand governor from 2015-21, and her challenger Yashwant Sinha are the only two candidates left in the fray for the Presidential elections after scrutiny of nomination papers. Besides all NDA constituents, parties like YSR Congress, BJD and the BSP have also extended support to her.
Options before party limited: Sukhbir
Speaking to media persons after the core committee meeting, the SAD president said that the party was deeply concerned over the issues of human rights violations, religious intolerance and freedom of speech.
“The party can never be separated from its agenda for Punjab, minorities, farmers and poor. But in the upcoming Presidential poll, the options before the party are limited, as they can’t support a candidate sponsored and supported by the Congress party in a direct or indirect manner,” said Sukhbir.
The SAD chief said that issues related to the Sikh community and Punjab remained unresolved and the party continues its fight. The issues include securing the release of Sikh prisoners who have completed their jail term and handing over Chandigarh and other Punjabi-speaking areas to the state.