M A I N   N E W S

No Union berth for Sukhbir: CM
Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 31
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today categorically said that his son Sukhbir Singh Badal would not be inducted into the Union Ministry in the expansion expected before the monsoon session of Parliament.

Talking to mediapersons at a ‘sangat darshan’ programme organised at the outskirts of the city for the people of Sanaur block, the Chief Minister denied any deal with the BJP central leadership to make Mr Sukhbir Singh a Union Minister in lieu of the lone Rajya Sabha seat which fell vacant following the election of Mr Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha to the Assembly.

The Chief Minister said this propaganda was being spread by his political opponents who did not have an agenda of their own. “Tomorrow I am going to Delhi on some personal work but I am sure they will say I am going to lobby for making Sukhbir a Central Minister”, he said.

Mr Badal said his political opponents had the same “narrow” opinion as far as the ‘sangat darshan’ programmes were concerned. He said his government had already announced in advance that this year would be the year of development. Listing the benefits of the exercise, he said even otherwise the money was to go to the panchayats but it would have taken years to do so.

He tried to allay apprehensions that the entire planning process had been given a go by in favour of ‘sangat darshan’. He said this was not so. Big projects were not taken up at the programme. Only matters which concerned the people directly were addressed immediately. He said those opposed to the exercise were welcome to see things first-hand to understand the programme. He said if the people were against the programme he would stop the exercise immediately.

Services Selection Board Chairman Tejinder Singh Sandhu and former MP Charanjit Singh Walia were in the forefront of the ‘sangat darshan’ exercise as Sanaur falls in the Dakala Assembly segment. The post is vacant as the present MLA Mr Harmail Singh, is in the Tohra camp. Both leaders tried to impress the Chief Minister on the occasion by raising up the problems being faced by the people of the area.

Others present on the stage were Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh, district Akali Dal president Kashmir Singh Mawi, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar and Mr Faujinder Singh, brother of minister Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur, who is on bail in a murder case registered against him.

The Chief Minister gave away Rs 4.25 crore on the occasion. As much as Rs 1.29 crore was given for six new roads in Sanaur, Rs 68 lakh for dharamshalas and other development works and Rs 50 lakh for the Sanaur Municipal Council for disposal of sewer waters.