Akalis defer decision on Udham Singh Nagar
The Shiromani Akali Dal today deferred its decision on the Udham Singh Nagar controversy in view of tomorrow's meeting of the party's bosses with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi.
Punjab Chief Minister and party president Parkash Singh Badal told the media in Chandigarh after a meeting of the SAD working committee, "We are still not clear on the BJP's stand on the issue."
Badal said the 51-member working committee would meet again after tomorrow's talks.
He said they would go to meet the prime minister "with an open mind". But he said they would not forgo their demand to exclude Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed Uttaranchal state either for seat adjustments for the November 25 assembly elections in Delhi and Rajasthan or for fulfilment of Punjab's pending demands.
Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra, MP, expressed satisfaction at today's meeting, saying all the Akali leaders were firm on the issue. But at the same time, he said, all expect a solution will be found at tomorrow's meeting.
Tohra also claimed the support of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on the matter.
The SAD has threatened twice to withdraw support to the Vajpayee government on the issue.
The Uttar Pradesh government has already passed the bill relating to the formation of Uttaranchal. The bill includes Udham Singh Nagar in the new state. But Chief Minister Kalyan Singh has said he will abide by the central government's directive on the issue.
Badal, Tohra and Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Surjit Singh Barnala will meet the
prime minister tomorrow to sort out the issue.
UNI
Tell us what you think of this report
|