SAD-BJP BREAK-UP INEVITABLE: BAJWA
Wednesday, 10/04/2013
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
LUDHIANA: Terming the Goa conclave organised by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal as “a means to pamper ally BJP to soften the blow of levying property tax”, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday predicted an “inevitable end” to the SAD and BJP’s “marriage of convenience”.
“Sukhbir has kept his options open for a third front,” Bajwa told mediapersons here.
He also compared the Goa conclave to NRI Sammelan recently convened in Punjab, saying that both the exercises were nothing more than eyewash. “The NRI Sammelan was to appease their personal friends who entertain the Akali-BJP leaders during their overseas tours.”
Bajwa also disapproved Sukhbir’s demand for additional rights to the states for utilisation of funds. Referring to Punjab’s annual income of Rs 26,000 crore, he said the Centre’s share was 25%, and giving such a huge amount at the discretion of CM or deputy CM would mean “encouraging medieval set-ups like the ‘sangat darshan’ of the Badals”.
On the impending hike in power tariff, Bajwa said the Akalis had given a false promise of making the state power-surplus. He joked, “But now the tariff hike may make the state power-surplus as industry will move out.”
Bajwa said Punjab is only state where there is no industrial and agricultural policy. He said he would meet the PM along with fellow party MPs to seek a Rs 5,000-crore package for crop diversification that should be monitored by some independent agency so that funds are not misused.
