The day when Janata Dal (United) bring to an end its 17-year-old relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday said that his party was "solidly" behind the saffron party.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh added that his party does not believe in interfering in its internal matters.
Terming the recent appointment of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP poll campaign committee chief for 2014 lok Sabha elections as an "internal matter" of the party, the five-time Chief Minister categorically said that the SAD was committed to support the BJP in every situation.
"Neither the BJP nor the SAD has ever interfered in each other's internal matter, which has further cemented the alliance between the both the parties," said Badal, adding that BJP can make anyone its poll campaign in-charge or project anyone as its prime ministerial candidate. Regarding the ongoing rift between JD(U) and BJP besides its implications on the prospects of NDA, hours before JD(U) withdrew from the NDA, Badal said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was a very wise politician and was at liberty to express his opinion freely.
At the same time, Badal claimed that all will shake hands with BJP after the 2014 general elections. "Though every party, including JD(U), has its own interest uppermost in its mind, yet all will shake hands with BJP after the general elections…The real combinations will emerge after lok Sabha polls," the 85-year-old Akali veteran said.
He added that new polarisation of the political parties would emerge after declaration of results of coming general elections to ultimately form the NDA Government at the Centre. Badal, who was here to attend a function organised by Shri Brahmin Sabha Punjab to mark the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Parshuram, said that an anti-Congress wave was prevailing across the country.
Badal claimed that the BJP will emerge as a single largest party after next General Elections. He also did not see much possibility of emergence of a Third Front. On being asked if he had approached the JD(U) or other BJP allies in the wake of recent developments within the NDA, he said, "Although I want that all the NDA partners should go along cordially, but I haven't approached any ally".
TO ENSURE FREE, FAIR PANCHAYAT POllS
Responding to a query regarding the next month's panchayat polls in Punjab, the Chief Minister said that the State Government was committed to ensure free and fair polls in the State for strengthening democracy at the grass-root level.
"As the Congress has been time and again rejected by the wise voters of the State, so they were making a hoarse cry regarding the use of the official machinery by the State Government, whereas, it was on record that every election held during the SAD-BJP regime was not only fair, but had also remained largely peaceful," he added.
MEMORIAlS OF BHAI SATI DASS, BHAI MATI DASS, BHAI DYAl
Badal announced that a befitting memorial would be constructed in Anandpur Sahib in the memory of Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal Das, who had laid down their lives along with the ninth Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur.
Addressing a function at Khati village, Badal said that the memorial's foundation stone will be laid in November during the martyrdom day function of Guru Teg Bahadur. A panel of experts will be constituted for the purpose and the memorial will be constructed after receiving its recommendations, he added.