CHANDIGARH: Parkash Singh Badal would rather step down as president of his Akali Dal than violating the poll boycott decision taken at Anandpur Sahib on Sunday to which he was a party.

Badal is reluctant to talk to the Press but he has clearly told his party colleagues that the decision was irrevocable. Those who participated in the Sikh meet at Takht Kesgarh Sahib had solemnized the decision through an ardas (prayer) and no Sikh worth the name could flout it

The party leaders had met at Badal’s residence on Monday and continued their deliberations on Tuesday also They have not been able to find an escape from the verdict of the meet though some of them feel that the ball is in the court of the Center which should accept the conditions for participation of the Akalis in the elections

At the meeting on Monday some party leaders reportedly regretted that the Anandpur Sahib meeting had bowed to the decision of the militants The agenda for the meeting was to devise ways for fighting repression in Punjab and the participants should have stuck toil.

Badal has also reportedly told his followers that the Akali Dal led by Simranjit Singh Mann could not defy the poll boycott decision as his representatives Sucha Singh Chhotepur and Charanjit Singh Walia had ratified it exercising the authority vested in them by the party president.

A section of the party leadership has suggested to “right quarters” that there are some chances of the Situation being saved from the stalemate which could be the worst ever the state has seen if the Center holds the elections on September 25 instead of denotifying them to enable the Congress (I) to participate in the fresh poll process. It has also been suggested that the Centre should drop the proposal to amend the election law to debar “secessionists” from contesting.

The Punjab Governor Surendra Nath who is said to be concerned over the Anandpur Sahib decision left for Delhi on Tuesday to appraise the Center of the development. He is likely to discuss with the Center the suggestions which have “trickled” to him for resumption of the political impasse.

A visit to Badal’s residence would convince anyone that the party rank and file is disappointed at the decision. But no advice to the contrary has worked on him so far.

According to information from the Badal camp the Center’s dithering over the Punjab poll and the increasing threat from militants were the main reasons for the poll boycott decision. The election in Punjab became a farce when the lives of more than two dozen candidates were lost and many others had had narrow escapes. The Akalis were small fries for the militants who could reach even the most protected VIPs.

Surprisingly all Akali leaders agree that the boycott of the election will bring all political activity to a grinding halt accentuating the misery of the people. They also express the view that in the event of the elections being held the people would vote for any panthic organization entering the fray unless mass movements can convince them about the futility of the poll process in the prevailing conditions This is what the Badal Akali Dal plans to do.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 13, 1991