Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, The SAD leadership may be trying hard to “salvage” its position in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre by once again seeking a special package, this time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But by not taking along leaders of their alliance partner in the state BJP, the party seems to have sparked yet another row.
After Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley turned down Punjab’s demand for a special package, the Chief Minister and Deputy CM met the Prime Minister on Monday, reiterating their demand. However, they did not take along any state BJP leader, minister or BJP Member of Parliament from the state.
Talking to The Tribune, BJP’s Hoshiarpur Member of Parliament Vijay Sampla said had he been contacted, he would have definitely played a role in getting “special assistance” for Punjab.
Expressing similar views, Harjit Singh Grewal, former national secretary, said it would have been better if state BJP leaders had been taken along. “During the Vajpayee government, BJP leaders were taken along when any demand for the state was to be raised,” he said.
This is not the first time that the SAD and BJP have clashed on denial of special assistance to Punjab by the Modi government. Earlier too, Industry minister Madan Mohan Mittal had said that assistance had been denied as state Finance Minister had not presented Punjab’s case emphatically. ” Had the CM gone, the state would have definitely got some assistance,” he had said.
