Badal rules out early Assembly polls in Punjab

Aazampur, May 31

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday dismissed any possibility of early Assembly elections in Punjab, saying the state would go to polls as per schedule.

Talking to media persons here on the sidelines of his Sangat Darshan programme in the Nurpur Bedi block of Ropar Assembly segment, he said polls to the state Assembly will be held in 2017 as scheduled.

On the possibility of multi-cornered contests in the state Assembly elections, he replied it was "immaterial" for the ruling SAD-BJP alliance.

The Chief Minister, however, said that he neither underestimated the potential of any prospective candidate contesting these elections from any political party nor even of an independent candidate.

On the issue of handing over the inquiry of Sikh preacher Baba Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale case to CBI, he said there was no point in doing so as the state government had already entrusted the probe to the police department, in connection with the incident.

Badal said, "It would be far better to wait till its final outcome rather to preempt anything now on the matter."         

On strengthening the security around Sri Harmandar Sahib Complex at Amritsar in wake of anniversary of Operation Bluestar, he said it was a bounden duty of the state government to intensify security arrangements for ensuring law-and-order besides maintaining peace, communal harmony and brotherhood during the Ghallughara week, which is observed during the first week of June.

On the issue of illegal mining of small minerals in Nurpur Bedi block and Sri Anandpur Sahib Sub-division, Badal categorically stated that the state government had already issued strict instructions to all the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs across the state to curb this unhealthy practice and ensure their strict compliance.

He also asked the SSP Ropar, who was also present in the Sangat Darshan to take stock of the situation and initiate corrective measures forthwith.

On possibility of any "adverse decision" against Punjab in the SYL case pending before the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister said he had already cleared his stand not once but several times that he was ever ready to make any supreme sacrifice to safeguard the interests of state with regard to state's share in river waters as per the Riparian principle. — PTI