With moves being made for Government formation in Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday said that there was nothing wrong in the BJP being invited to form the Government. Badal, at the same time, dismissed the charges made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress that it promoted “horse trading”.
“There is nothing wrong or unconstitutional in this process. There is nothing wrong if the BJP is asked to form the Government (in Delhi),” 86-year-old Badal told reporters while replying to questions pertaining to the issue. Delhi’s lt Governor Najeeb Jung had recently sent a report to the President Pranab Mukherjee seeking permission to call the single largest party to take a shot at power though it is well short of majority in the Assembly. AAP and the Congress have come down hard on Jung for his report and accused him of promoting “horse trading”.
Badal, chief patron of the SAD, a key ally of the BJP, said that having another State Assembly Election involves a huge burden on the exchequer and is legitimately avoidable. “The single largest party, if asked to form a Government has to prove its majority on the floor of the House during a specific period,” the five-time Chief Minister said.
He was of the view that it was in the fitness of things to make an effort to form the Government in Delhi. Meanwhile, Badal said that he hoped the Narendra Modi-led Government at the Centre would act differently from the previous UPA regime. “Everyone knows that the previous Government adopted attitude of discrimination and stepmotherly treatment towards Punjab,” he alleged.
The Chief Minister said that he would be calling on the Prime Minister soon and take up with him various issues concerning the State. He said that he expect some relief measures for industry and agriculture in the State. Stating that Punjab has been making big contribution to the food bowl of the country, he said, “The food requirements in respect of the Food Security Scheme also cannot be met without Punjab’s contribution.”
“The State’s contribution on the food front, in freedom struggle and on the borders should be taken into account for giving relief to the State,” he said. Only days before, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had shot off a communique to the State Government rejecting its case of higher financial assistance arguing that the devolution to Punjab was already higher by 99.36 per cent.