J.S., Akali Dal reach complete Accord

From Our Correspondent

Amritsar, January 6

After further talks lasting three hours, the Jan Sangh and Shiromani Akali Das today reached complete accord over the adjustment of 21 seats for which the Akali Dal would support the Jan Sangh candidates.  The disclosure was made to your correspondent by Mr Balram Tandon, General Secretary of the Punjab Jan Sangh, who along with Mr Dev Dutt formed the Jan Sangh team of negotiators.  The Akali Dal’s Parliamentary Board was represented by Mr Chanan Singh, President of the SGPC, Mr Bhupinder Singh, Chairman of the Dal’s Parliamentary Board, Mr Ajmer Singh and Mr Jiwan Singh Umranangal, Secretary and General Secretary respectively of the Akali Dal.

Mr Tandon further disclosed that the Jan Sangh would contest 32 seats in Punjab.  In eight or nine seats where the Jan Sangh would put up its candidates, the Akali Dal would leave them for the Communists or Marxists after an adjustment in bilateral talks, since the Jan Sangh was not prepared to make any adjustment with the Communists or Marxists at any cost.

The Akali Dal had left two seats open for the Swatantra candidates and even out of these two the Swatantra Party had agreed to leave the Balachaur seat to the Jan Sangh. Regarding the Anandpur Sahib, seat, the Akali Dal had advised the Sawtantra Party and the Jan Sangh to see which party candidate had better chances and thereafter the Akali Dal would lend its support to either party’s candidate.

The Jullundur and Patiala Constituencies were left open where the Jan Sangh and the Akali Dal would put up their respective candidates without any acrimony.

Regarding the Beas seat in Amritsar district where the Jan Sangh has nominated Brigadier Gurbachan Singh Bal, both the Akali Dal and Jan Sangh have agreed to abide by the arbitration of Sant Fateh Singh.

An agreed joint statement signed by both the Jan Sangh and the Akali Dal leaders to the above effect will be issued tomorrow.