JALANDHAR: The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Prakash Singh Badal, has said that Rs 550crore economic package announced by the Punjab government was a “fraud” designed only to attract votes and not to provide any ‘real benefit to the people.
Speaking to news persons, Badal said providing 50% subsidy on a meager 40 kilograms of at ta and 5 kilo’s of dal is not adequate at all.” Instead of doling out subsidized food grains to the poor for electoral gains, the government should plan Schemes which would benefit people in the long run Such populist slogans. only showed that the government had ‘no coherent politics for the poor, he added.
About electoral alliances of the SAD, Badal said it would only be decided after discussion at the working committee meeting. He, however, said since the ultimate aim of his party was {o defeat the Congress, the SAD was likely to have separate national and state policies. He declined to name any possible electoral partner saying that the situation was fluid at the national level as alliances of most other political parties had also not crystalized.
‘When asked about the long-awaited completion of the organizational structure of the SAD, he said while it was certain that there would be a 51member working committee, and a formal structure of office-bearers, the announcement of the remaining members would take some time.
However, notwithstanding the incomplete party structure, he said the SAD had begun preparations for the elections by holding rallies all over the stile, Discussions are also going on to arrive at a cohesive working committee, which would include all shades of opinion.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 18, 1995
