Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal today said with the situation turning chaotic resulting from tension between the ruling alliance partners- Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party- that was increasing every day, the only way out was the early Assembly elections as this situation was already affecting governance in Punjab and the ultimate victims would be the people in the state.
“The leaders of the Akali Dal have levelled open allegations of corruption against Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi in Amritsar. On the other hand, the BJP leaders have reacted by charging them with controlling the drug and sand mafia. Apparently, the situation is heading towards a point of no return. The people should not be allowed to suffer in the process”, he said.
The PPP chief pointed out that the allegations and counter-allegations had been going on between the two alliance partners ever since the Haryana Assembly elections and even Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also seemed to have realised the gravity of the situation. His deepening anxiety was betrayed by his defence of the alliance as being the best guarantor of peace, an argument that was double edged. It appeared to be part of the tactics to blackmail the BJP to fall in line and reconcile to the situation that existed before the Lok Sabha elections.
He said now there was a paradigm shift in the situation with the BJP in full control at the centre and expanding its wings in the states. Badal had failed in his assessment of the situation in Haryana and that was perhaps the reason of the Akali Dal ditching its traditional alliance partner in that state in favour of the Indian national Lok Dal, the gamble that failed. It was the BJP which had earlier been playing second fiddle in Punjab that was now in commanding position and dictating terms.
He urged Badal to clear the air as it was his party which was now levelling allegations of corruption against the minister from the alliance partner and the situation was thus paradoxical. The silence of the senior leadership from the two parties on the allegations being levelled against each other was enigmatic. It was the right time for the political parties in the state to appear for the electoral test to end this stalemate, he proposed.
