Chandigarh, The Shiromani Akali Dal- Bhartiya Janata Party today declared that they would jointly contest the forthcoming civic elections in the state as per the existing arrangement.
The two parties also decided to set up district level coordination committees for any local adjustments and for streamlining the election campaign process.
A state level coordination committee has also been set by the two parties, comprising the SAD Secretary and Education Minister Dr. Daljit singh Cheema and former Minister Shri Tikshan Sud.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting of the coordination Committee of the SAD-BJP Alliance held at CM residence here late yesterday evening. A joint statement issued by the two parties at the end of meeting declared that the SAD/BJP alliance was more than a political arrangement and represented social cohesion and communal harmony in Punjab.
The two parties also resolved to give “a befitting response to the mischievous, baseless and motivated propaganda misinformation campaign of what the meeting described as “the frustrated, rejected and rootless congress party” on various issues.”
Giving details of the meeting newsmen, Party General Secretary Mr Harcharan Bains said that the two parties were fully geared to sweep the civic poll. He said that the meeting was presided over by the Punjab Chief Minster Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The SAD president Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal, the BJP ( Punjab) president Mr Kamal Sharma, senior SAD and BJP leaders including Mr Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mr Balwidner SIngh Bhunder, Jathedar Tota Singh, Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Dr Daljit singh Cheema and Mr Harcharan Bains from the SAD.
The BJP was represented, apart from Mr Kamal Sharma, by Bhagat Chunni Lal, Mr Rajinder Bhandari, Mr Ashwani Sharma, Mr. Tikshan Sud and Mr Narotam Dev Ratti.
The SAD meanwhile announced its list of district-level observers for further strengthening coordination between the two parties at the grassroots level throughout the state.
A joint statement issued a end of the meeting said that the two parties “shared a complete unanimity of approach in addressing all issues concerning the people and the state. The meeting dismissed as “wildly speculative and utterly baseless” rumors being spread by vested interests. “These canards run contrary to the spirit of strong emotional and ideological bonds between the two parties who symbolize age old social cohesion and communal harmony in the state.
The meeting also accepted in principle report of the six-member SAD-BJP panel that had set up to suggest ways to further streamline governance in the state.
While the BJP will announce its list of district level observers tomorrow, the SAD Observers include Sh. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Amritsar (City)
Sh. Sohan Singh Thandal, Amritsar (Rural)
Sh. Parkash Chand Garg, Bathinda ( City and Rural)
Sh. Sikandar Singh Malooka, Barnala (City and Rural)
Sh. Santa Singh Umedpur, Fatehgarh (City and Rural)
Sh. Harmeet Singh Sandhu, Faridkot (City and Rural)
Prof. Virsa Singh Valtoha, Ferozepur (City and Rural)
Sh. Mantar Singh Brar, Fazilka (Cirty and Rural)
Bibi Jagir kaur, Gurdaspur (City and Rural)
Sh. Hira Singh Gabaria, Hoshiarpur (City and Rural)
Sh. Bikram Singh Majithia, Jalandhar (City and Rural)
Sh. Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Kapurthala (City and Rural)
Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, Ludhiana (City)
Jathedar Tota Singh, Ludhiana (Rural)
Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mansa (City and Rural)
Sh. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Moga (City and Rural)
Sh. Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Mohali (City and Rural)
Sh. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Sri Muktsar Sahib (City and Rural)
Sh. Ajit Singh Kohar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (City and Rural)
Sh. Sucha Singh Langah, Pathankot (City and Rural)
Sh. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Patiala (City and Rural)
Sh. Iqbal Singh Jhuda, Ropar (City and Rural)
Sh. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sangrur (City and Rural)
Sh. Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Tran Taran (City and Rural)