CHANDIGARH: The Akali Dal led by Mr. Parkash Singh Badal would go in for seat adjustment rather than alliance with other political parties to defeat the Congress in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Addressing a news conference hero last week, Mr, Badal said that tie issue has been discussed by the Political Affairs Committee of the party but it is still to be clinched, He said that the ‘sole purpose was to defeat the Congress, not only in Punjab, but also at the national level. The Akali Dal would favor scat adjustments on similar lines in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Chandigarh. The BSP has already expressed reservations about having an understanding with the Akalis in case they opt for the BJP. He said that he had discussed the issue so far only with the BSP supremo, Mr, Kanshi Ram. He ruled out electoral understanding with the Indira Congress.
Mr, Badal said that the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections have already been shortlisted.
He said that his party has appealed to the Election Commission to restore the symbol of “scales” to the party. ‘The symbol was with the Longowal faction of the Akalis which has merged with the main party. The letter to the EC has been written jointly by Mr, Badal and the Longowal faction leader, Mr. Kabul Singh. In a significant development, the Dal (B) chief appealed to the Sant Samaj not to contest the general elections for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee saying that religious leaders should not enter politics as it would harm the interests of the Akalis, He denied that the Samaj leaders had invited him or the SGPC president, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, for talks at Ludhiana recently.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 17, 1996
