M A I N   N E W S

Script written, it’s now time for Manpreet to act
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26
As former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal prepares for his mega rally on Sunday, many now realise with the benefit of hindsight that the script for change in Punjab had been written long time ago. Only no one believed it. Everyone was convinced the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was a colossus that could not be downed by someone who had ridden to power on its crutches.

But Manpreet Badal has shown one has to first dream the impossible before it can ever become a reality. Out on a limb, with practically no support, Manpreet has turned state politics on its head and could even emerge as a credible third alternative.

Manpreet began writing the script for change after taking over as Finance Minister in 2007. The script was prepared carefully. Here was a man who was simple, wore his authority lightly, drove his own vehicle and was never surrounded by security guards. He also had a thinking head, stood for safeguarding the finances of the state and was against populist politics but had the poor in mind always.

The SAD, to its sorrow now, let Manpreet build an aura around himself because of his special status as nephew of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Many, understanding where the real power lay (with Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal) even ridiculed him for failing to stand up to be counted on the issue of subsidies. It almost looked like Manpreet would have only his Doon school buddies and the writings of his favorite statesman Kemal Ataturk to fall back upon if he ever rebelled against the party that had made him a four-time legislator from Gidderbaha.

In this light, Manpreet’s revolt in September last year was inexplicable to almost everyone. Only Parkash Singh Badal, who has toppled many a senior in his lifetime, understood it for what it was. The CM made a sincere effort to contain Manpreet but the hawks in the party, some say Sukhbir, prevailed. Manpreet was expelled or resigned from the SAD whichever way you look at it on October 13 last year.

Sukhbir had the first laugh when legislators Sant Ajit Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi ditched the former FM after extending support to his revolt. Manpreet also found himself addressing only a few people wherever he went with the might of the state working against him. But the tide changed within a month of the launch of the ‘Jago Punjab’ yatra on November 14 and soon it was Sukhbir who was competing with his cousin to keep the SAD flock together. Though the SAD has guarded its ranks, cracks have started to emerge and it is these which Manpreet will be seeking to capitalise upon in the coming months.

Manpreet feels he will not only be cracking open the SAD but the Congress too. When questioned, he said, “The people of Punjab have already made up their mind. Now they are keen to know the structure of the new political party and as to what ‘sangat’ (company) I will keep. I will not disappoint them”, he added.

The new party that will be announced at Khatkar Kalan tomorrow will be a secular one. When asked if this would make it difficult for him to attract the ‘panthic’ vote of the SAD, Manpreet said, “The message is going home, people will respond”.

Manpreet is concentrating on his message. He has managed to stay one step ahead of his rivals by first luring them to Khatkar Kalan on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh on March 23 and then deciding to have his day under the sun tomorrow. He has even prepared tomorrow’s skeletal press release in advance. The script has been written. It is to be seen if it works.

Resignation ‘not accepted’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26
Former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s resignation as legislator as well as primary member of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was not accepted by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon today as it was not in the proper format.

The Speaker, when questioned by TNS, said he was still to pass a final judgement on the resignation but admitted that legislators were obliged to proffer an unconditional resignation only as was the case in Parliament also. Manpreet has chosen to hand in a four-page resignation letter that seeks to explain the reason behind his move.

The Speaker has apparently also given the SAD-BJP government time to take a political decision on the issue. When questioned the Speaker said he was still to read the resignation letter. When asked whether he would be reading the resignation letter today, he replied in the negative saying “I am going to my village”.

Besides denying Manpreet an opportunity to go to the people tomorrow with the claim that he has put in his papers as a legislator, the SAD could also accuse him of not being sincere. Manpreet could be accused of deliberately buying time by submitting a conditional resignation so that he does not have to contest a byelection from Gidderbaha once the seat becomes vacant.

Asked whether his resignation was in the right format, Manpreet said, “Let them reject it. I have asked him (Speaker) to accept it forthwith”. He maintained that there was no constitutional or legal hitch in announcing a new political party tomorrow without resigning his seat. “I have resigned because I wanted a clean break from the past”, he added.

When questioned whether the two legislators who have supported him - Jagbir Singh Brar and Manjinder Kang - would also resign their seats, the Manpreet said the legislators were busy preparing for the rally tomorrow and would take a decision in due course.

Manpreet also maintained that he was ready to fight byelection from Gidderbaha, if necessary, adding that his father Gurdas Badal would contest the forthcoming elections from Lambi against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.