AMRITSAR: The Damdami Taksal chief Babar Thakur Singh has directed the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and the Akali Dal (Mann) to fight the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls “jointly” for the benefit of the Sikh panth.
This was conveyed by the Taksal chief to the Akali (M) chief Simranjit Singh Mann and AISSF president Manjit Singh at the Damdami Taksal headquarters at Mehta Chowk near here on Tuesday night. The two leaders had been summoned by the Taksal after initial talks between the two sides on seat adjustments broke down.
Confirming the talks held on Tuesday night Mr Manjit Singh told UN here on Wednesday that efforts were on to reach a consensus on seat adjustments and there was every possibility that a decision acceptable to both the parties would be reached. He however asserted that seat adjustments for both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections would have to be on 60:40 in favour of the federation.
Mr Manjit Singh said he was not averse to the idea of seat adjustments with the Badal faction of the Akali Dal but it would depend on the candidates the Badal group decided to field. “If Mr Parkash Singh Badal wants to have an adjustment of seats with us then he must select only those candidates who have always supported the ideology of the late Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale he said.
The federation chief however categorically ruled out the possibility of entering into any electoral understanding with the Akali Dal (Longowal). He said the breaking up of the Badal and Longowal factions from the Mann group was expected as they never were together as they never merger.
The AISSF chief said that in case the federation failed to reach any understanding with the Mann or Badal Akali Dals then it would contest all the 13 Lok Sabha and 90 of the 117 Assembly seats leaving the rest to “like-minded parties”.
JALANDHAR(ENS): The Damdami Taksal on Wednesday asked leaders of various political parties not to misuse its name during the coming elections in Punjab.
In a statement issued here Babar Thakur Singh said that Damdami Taksal had not extended its support to any candidate or group. He asked the prospective candidates not to come to the Taksal headquarters in Mehta for its support but go to the leaders who had announced their intention to contest the poll.
He said that Mr Simranjit Singh Mann was supported by the Taksal to run the Akali Dal and not for contesting the elections although the Taksal was not opposed to any organisation it did not favour side racking of the goal of panth and new challenges being thrown before the community.
Baba Thakur Singh regretted that instead of fostering unity the leaders were fighting for grabbing power.
He said the Taksal should be kept away from the election controversies.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 3, 1991
