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Punjab Chief Minister preaches “coalition dharma” to BJP

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal

JALANDHAR: Preaching “dharma of coalition” to ruling ally BJP, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday urged it not to issue statements to the media on contentious issues which could adversely affect the government.

“Instead of airing differences between the alliance partners in the media, it is better to resolve the issue through discussion. BJP should beware of giving statements in the media, which is against the dharma of coalition”, Badal said addressing a function to mark police commemoration day here.

Describing BJP’s public utterances in the media regarding its opposition to power tariff as a “sad” development, Badal said his party had always extended unconditional support to the BJP-led coalition when it was in power at the Centre.

“Akali Dal had never created problems for the BJP-led coalition government in the past and the BJP leadership should desist from issuing unwarranted statements in the media,” he said.

Asked about the outcome of his meeting with state in-charge of BJP, Balbir Punj, Badal said “we have discussed the issue but no final decision was taken during the meeting regarding power tariff hike. We will meet very soon to discuss it again.”

“The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has been increasing power tariff for nearly a decade and no one has objected to the same except this time,” Badal said adding that the issuance of media statements on tariff rollback had not gone down well with the public.

When told that the BJP never opposed the recommendation of PSERC but wanted that hike should be borne by the State Govt. on the pattern of subsidies being extended to other sections of the society, the Chief Minister said “all subsidies extended by the State Govt. are on the basis of manifestoes of both SAD and BJP and the financial status of State does not allow to extend any further subsidy”.

Commenting on the BJP’s demand on the rationalisation of subsidies among rural and urban areas, he said the State Govt. need to act according to its fiscal health.

Asked about the reported statement of BJP that post of Chief Minister is not “hereditary”, Badal evaded a direct reply and said , “there is a system to elect a Chief Minister, like I was elected as leader of legislatures by my party and the alliance partner also elected me as Chief Minister”.

To a question Badal ruled out any possibility of a reshuffle in his Cabinet.

The Punjab Chief Minister also announced a pre-Diwali gift for the State’s police personnel up to the rank of inspector - weekly offs as relief to stress. Mr Badal said: “In spite of their restless job, the policemen are not getting any weekly offs. So to extend relief, it has been decided to give at least one weekly off to the police personnel up to the rank of inspector from now onwards.”

A notification in this regard will be issued “very soon”, he said.- PTI

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