PM begins talks with Akalis
Tribune News Service and agencies

NEW DELHI, Oct 3 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has initiated a dialogue with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership for allaying their misgivings on Udham Singh Nagar and other issues.

In a reaction to the threats by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president, Mr G.S. Tohra, and the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal to "withdraw support" to the coalition government, the BJP vice-president, Mr K.L. Sharma, told mediapersons here that "there is no danger to the Vajpayee government".

Yesterday, both Mr Tohra and Mr Badal had threatened to "withdraw support" to the BJP-led coalition government if it did not respect SAD sentiments on keeping Udham Singh Nagar district out of the proposed state of Uttaranchal.

"The Prime Minister is seized of the matter", Mr Sharma said, adding that the BJP was sensitive to SAD’s sentiments and attached utmost importance to its support.

Asserting that issues raised by the Akali leaders would be amicably resolved through discussions and dialogue, he said that "if the Cauvery waters issue could be sorted out amicably, there is no issue which cannot be resolved similarly."

Mr Sharma indicated that the Akali Dal may withdraw its representatives from the Vajpayee ministry, but it would not withdraw support to the government.

He said all decisions would be taken in consultation with the allies and the Prime Minister was in contact with the Akalis.

He sought to play down the Akali Dal’s reported talks with the Trinamool Congress, another constituent of the ruling coalition, and said "our allies can have talks amongst themselves. They are part of the coalition and there is nothing wrong in this regard."

Mr Sharma said it was not a question of whether the Akalis' demand was right or wrong regarding Udham Singh Nagar but that the Uttar Pradesh assembly had passed a resolution which said that it should be part of the proposed hill state of Uttaranchal.

Asked whether the BJP was not adopting a "big brotherly" attitude towards its allies, he said "allies are being consulted on all issues."

On when the coordinating committee would meet to discuss issues like the one raised by Akali Dal, the BJP leader said it would meet soon but declined to specify any date.

Earlier, the BJP president, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, maintained that the "majority view" of the people of Udham Singh Nagar was in favour of remaining with Uttaranchal. He said the Uttar Pradesh government was also of the same view as Udham Singh Nagar was earlier a part of Nainital district, which in turn was part of the proposed state.

On the Bihar issue, the BJP president said "it was the fittest case" for invoking Article 356. Bihar had no semblance of governance, he said, adding that it was witnessing unprecedented atrocities on women and children. "The state government in Patna has marginalised the investigating agencies, making them practically defunct", he pointed out.

Further, Mr Thakre wondered if passing a resolution in the state assembly criticising the role of the Governor was not tantamount to a breakdown of the constitutional machinery. He said according to the Constitution, Parliament or an assembly could not pass strictures against the President or Governor.

The BJP’s central election committee would meet towards the end of the month to finalise the list of party candidates for the coming assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram, Mr Thakre said, adding that the committees had been asked to send their lists by the third week of this month.

Talks on with allies: Tohra

CHANDIGARH, Oct 3 (PTI) — Top Akali leaders were in touch with coalition partners, including the AIADMK and Trinamool Congress, on the issue of inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal state, SGPC chief G.S. Tohra told mediapersons here a day after the Dal threatened to withdraw support to the Vajpayee government over the issue.

The SGPC chief said Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had already spoken to AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee in this connection.

He himself had spoken to Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha president Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The Akali Dal leader said the CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjit had already made his party’s stand clear on the issue and was hopeful that the CPI would also support the Akali Dal’s position.

Mr Tohra claimed the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Haryana Rashtriya Lok Dal had assured support to the Akali Dal on the issue.

On the Congress stand, he said it was still unclear what stand the party would take in Parliament though its Uttar Pradesh unit had supported the Dal’s demand. He, however, said his party would not seek Congress support on the issue.

The question of support to the BJP in the November 25 assembly poll in Delhi, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh would be decided on October six, he said.

The party’s working committee would also take a decision on recalling its representatives in the Vajpayee government.

Inaugurating a computer room at a school in Batala, the SGPC chief regretted that the Vajpayee government had not accepted "a single demand of the party".

"It is sad the Vajpayee government has not accepted any of the party’s demands submitted in a memorandum last month."

He said even issues concerning Punjab like the transfer of Chandigarh had not been sorted out by the Centre.

On Article 356, Mr Tohra said it should be dropped from the Constitution to "stop its misuse".

Last evening at Meerut, he said "supporting the BJP is our 'majburi' (compulsion). But if Udham Singh Nagar is included in Uttaranchal, withdrawal of support to the BJP-led government will not be delayed."

Mr Tohra said the BJP must publicly announce its commitment towards respecting the wishes on the Akali Dal on the Udham Singh Nagar issue if it wanted to resolve the matter.

Asked whether the Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal was taking a soft line towards the BJP, the SGPC chief said he had full faith in Mr Badal's leadership and had "not an iota of doubt about the state Chief Minister's intentions."

"Though he does not speak in a militant tone, Mr Badal is adopting the right stance," he said.

He said while Mr Advani had argued that the district could not be left in Uttar Pradesh as it was part of the Nainital Lok Sabha constituency, which has to remain in one state, legal experts had said there was no bar on creating a new Lok Sabha seat.

He accused the BJP or repeatedly doubting the commitment of the Akalis towards the alliance and disclosed that the Akali Dal was pressurised to ask senior leader S.S. Barnala to speak against the I.K. Gujral government in Parliament during the no-confidence vote.

He said even on occasions when the BJP leaders could very well have avoided a direct reply to a controversial query, they had instead gone all out to issue statements inimical to preservation of better ties between the two parties.

"Where was the need for Mr Advani to issue statement on Chandigarh's transfer? Similarly, why did Mr Yashwant Sinha say that the loan had not been waved off," the SGPC chief asked.

NEW DELHI: Mr Tohra tonight said his party did not intend to topple the Vajpayee government but was only protesting against the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal.

"We do not intend to break the Vajpayee government. We only wanted to protest. The government will get our support but it will lose the faith of Sikh masses," he told a private television news programme.