A day after a Janata Dal (United) Minister sent alarm bells ringing by pitching for five-time Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as country’s Prime Minister, his deputy son and SAD president Sukhbir Badal on Monday made it clear that his father has no plans to move towards the national politics. Sukhbir said that his father will serve the State and has no plans of moving to the Centre. “Whatever kind of offer he (Badal) gets from the NDA or from anyone else, he will stay in Punjab,” said Sukhbir.
He added, “The Chief Minister (Badal) loves Punjab... he is clear that he wants to stay here in Punjab,” stated Sukhbir setting at rest, the speculations that Badal might get a bigger role if NDA is voted to power at the Centre after lok Sabha polls.
In the past as well, Badal had turned down offers by section of NDA leaders to become President of the country. A day before, at a function at Mohali, Bihar Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh had urged Badal to hoist the national flag from the Red Fort after the lok Sabha polls.
Singh’s statement assumed significance as there are speculations that JD(U), after severing its ties with NDA on the issue of BJP announcing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate, may form ‘third front’ with anti-Congress and anti-BJP parties.