JALANDHAR: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will align with the National Front in accordance with the party’s program on national issues but at the regional level it will work together with likeminded regional parties.

Stating this at a press conference here, Kuldip Singh Wadala, senior SAD leader, clarified his party’s stand on national and regional levels. He said that since the main aim of the SAD was to oust the Congress, it would work with democratic and secular parties and also with those who can safeguard the interests of minorities and Sikhs in particular.

Explaining the reasons for the differing stands of his party at the national and regional level, he said that this would be necessary because while the Sikhs are in a majority in some areas such as Punjab, in other parts of the country they are in a minority, Therefore, the SAD will have to have different postures in the interests of the Sikhs, He ruled out a poll alliance with the BJP at the national Level as the BJP had “withdrawn from its earlier goal of a federal structure of states, which is now the political goal of the unified Akali Dal.

The Bahujan Samaj Party, too, does not have a strong national structure, so the only alternative left is the National Front, He said that the Akal Leadership was of the view that it is the only political force which can safeguard the rights of minorities and also give an impetus to regional parties.

About his party’s proposed poll alliances in the states, Mr. Wadala. that the situation in Punjab was very different from that at the Center. He said that the SAD was likely to have only a few seat adjustments with the BJP in Punjab but for a poll alliance it was likely to turn towards the BSP which he described as a party with similar views.

Regarding alliances with the BJP in the states, he said that the SAD was grateful to the BJP for holding the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections. It will support the BJP to defeat the Congress in Delhi, but in Uttar Pradesh, Wadal said that the SAD would not support the BJP because here it had displayed an anti-Sikh attitude. The Sikhs there are in favor of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party.

Referring to the still incomplete organizational structure of the unified SAD, he said that an announcement was likely to be made in this regard within a week by the SAD president, Prakash Singh Badal.

In reply to a question, he said that presently discussions were on about the proposed strength of the working committee and a unanimous decision on either a 21 member or31member body was likely.

Besides this, it is proposed to have a 100member central council which will be representative of all shades of opinion and former factions of the party. When asked if the new structure would give representation to the erstwhile Mann faction headed by Simranjit Singh Mann, he said that even though Mann and the SAD differed on political goals but the Akal Dal had not rejected the possibility of including his supporters in the working committee. However, he added that efforts to bring around the Mann group in the overall interest of the Sikhs, will continue.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  August 4, 1995