Won’t ask Majithia to quit, says Badal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal remains non-committal on seeking Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s resignation after being issued summons by the Enforcement Directorate in the synthetic drug case.

Badal, known to have weathered many a political storm, said he had neither asked Majithia to resign and nor would he do so on the basis of the minister being issued summons. He said the Congress was free to take its own position on the issue, but he had not sought Majithia’s resignation.

Majithia, brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, is a key member of the Cabinet and the Akali Dal. He is also regarded as one of the main strategists of the party.

“I never asked anybody to resign. Sarwan Singh Phillaur took a high moral ground and resigned from the Cabinet after his son’s name cropped up in the ED investigation,” the CM said.

On the Congress’ move to bring a no-confidence motion against the government, he said, “We have the greatest regard for high democratic values and traditions of parliamentary democracy and fully respect the rights and role of the Opposition in a democratic set-up.”

The Congress, in its well-crafted strategy is trying to hit the Akalis besides trying to expose the BJP. While BJP leaders have publically sought Majithia’s resignation, it remains to be seen if they will come to the government’s help when the no-confidence motion is brought against the government.