LUDHIANA: Mrs. Ambika Soni, joint secretary of the All India congress Committee (AICC) has been asked to look after the affairs of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) till its new president is appointed. Mr. Janardhan Oujari, general secretary of the AICC, who is in charge of the organizational affairs, in a letter to Mrs. Ambika Soni has stated that the president of the party has desired that she should look after the affairs of the PPCC till permanent arrangements are made.
Anti Badal faction forms a new front ACCORD reached on 126 of the 1790 seat in Punjab. The Akali Dal (P), the Akali dal (A), the BSP and Akali dal (B) rebels have formed a united front to contest the SGPC elections and to oppose the present leadership headed by Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Addressing media persons here today, Sant Ajit Singh, president of the Panthik Dal, said that an accord was reached on 126 of the 170 seats in the state in a marathon 12hour session till 6 a. m. here today. However, the decision on the seats in Sangrur and Gurdaspur districts would be taken tomorrow, he added. The meeting was attended by S. S. Mann, Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, Ajit Singh, Kudip Singh Wadala, Avtar Singh Karimpuri, Bhai Manjit Singh, Sucha Singh Chottepur and others. The seat adjustment was unanimous on a 5050 ratio, said Ajit Singh and added that the Mann group would accommodate Wadala and party.
The Panthik Dal will allocate seats to the BSP, to contest elections on Akali Dal symbol. The leaders of these groups said that the campaign for the SGPC polls had already been launched and they had started issuing symbols to the contesting candidates. However, a complete list would be released after tomorrow’s meeting. Asked about the charges leveled against S. S. Mann by Darshan Singh that Mann had reached a secret pact with Tohra, Sant Ajit Singh termed it a ‘misunderstanding’ between the two groups and added that everything had been settled amicably. The new united front was of the opinion that the Badal Tohra nexus, as they call it, could be dislodged only if they unitedly contest the elections. Ajit Singh expressed confidence that the united front of the Akali Dals would secure an absolute majority.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1996
