Seeing the ruling alliance partners in Punjab — Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP — against each other over the issue of taxes, the main Opposition Congress on Thursday blamed the Akalis for humiliating its alliance partners for raising State’s issues.
“Apparently ditched by the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre, the ruling Akali Dal leaders have started pouring venom on their alliance partner ministers who exhibited some guts to by articulating concerns of trade and industry in the State,” said Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa.
He said: “It is interesting that Akali Dal has started teaching coalition dharma to local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi and his colleagues. It is clear that Akali leaders are proverbially out to thrash their alliance partners but would not allow them to even cry. It is strange that BJP, despite being in power at the Centre, is tolerating such humiliating behaviour from Akali colleagues.”
Referring to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s “high hopes” on NDA Government, Bajwa said that Modi Government dumped SAD by not giving any special grant or concession to Punjab in its maiden budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who had faced humiliating defeat in lok Sabha election from Amritsar and had seen through reality of situation in this state where the people were filled up with anger against this Government.