Sukhbir Singh Badal: SAD to contest seat; Mayawati gives assent
Jalandhar, April 8
The SAD-BSP coordination committee on Saturday decided to field an Akali Dal candidate for the forthcoming Jalandhar parliamentary bypoll.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said a decision in this regard had been taken in a joint meeting of the alliance after thorough discussions and it had been endorsed by BSP supremo Mayawati.
Not declaring the party candidate, he hinted that the decision could be taken in two days. He announced that the formal campaign would start on April 10 and that the rank and file of the SAD-BSP alliance would take active part in it.
Sukhbir did not, however, spell out any details of the pact on sharing of Lok Sabha seats between the two parties. BSP in-charge of Punjab affairs Randhir Beniwal said, “Since the BSP does not contest any bypoll, it has been decided that SAD will field its candidate and our role will be to support him”.
Sukhbir slammed the government for announcing change in timings of government offices from May 2 from 7.30 am to 2 pm. “Ideally, the state government should have rolled out its plan on tiding over power crisis, but here it is warning people of Punjab to get ready for electricity woes,” said the SAD chief.
