No rethink on ties with BJP: Badal
Response comes day after 3 Akali veterans protested against MHA’s move to decide share in UT admn
PATIALA : A day after three Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) veterans from the Majha region asked the party to review ties with its coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of the state’s share in the Chandigarh administration, former chief minister and party patron Parkash Singh Badal on Monday rejected their demand saying there was no need for this.
SAD’s Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, former state ministers Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Ratan Singh Ajanla (also an ex-MP) besides articulating their discomfort over the overall working of the party had raised the demand over the Union home ministry’s notification reserving the right to fill vacant posts in the UT administration.
Badal, who was speaking to Akali workers at Patran ahead of the party’s October 7 rally, said, “It (reviewing ties with the BJP) may be their individual opinion, but the party goes with a collective decision. We will stick to our longstanding ties with the BJP.” He also held similar meetings at Patiala, Samana and other places.
He, however, decried the Union home ministry’s notification. “It’s a wrong decision and is an injustice to Punjab,” he said.
Asked if he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this, Badal said the party MPs will take up this issue with the minister concerned and the BJP leadership.
“It is an injustice with Punjab that it has not got its capital. In case of bifurcation of states, generally the parent state retains the capital. But it is not the case with Punjab,” he said.
When asked about the three Majha leaders raising a banner of revolt and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa resigning from party posts, Badal was evasive. “It’s an internal matter of the party and will be sorted out. I again appeal to Dhindsa to withdraw his resignation as the party needs all senior leaders at this crucial juncture,” he said.
Badal had spoken to Brahmpura trying to persuade him to not to speak against the party.
‘PRENEET LIKE MY SISTER, SHE SHOULD COUNSEL HER HUSBAND’
Asked about former MP Preneet Kaur’s statement that SAD’s October 7 rally will have no impact on the Congress, Badal said, “We are fighting against the injustice meted out to the Akali Dal by the ruling Congress. We are not holding this rally against Preneet Kaur. She is like my sister but she should counsel her husband (Captain Amarinder) for better governance.”
It (reviewing ties with BJP) may be their individual opinion, but the party goes with a collective decision. We will stick to our longstanding ties with the BJP.
PARKASH SINGH BADAL,
SAD patron