JALANDHAR: Jagdey Singh Talwandi, president of the Akali Dal (Talwandi), recently assailed as irresponsible the statement of Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, president and general secretary, respectively, of the Akali Dal (Badal) seeking cooperation of other Akali factions to support their candidate for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by election and inviting the leaders of rival factions to join the Akali Dal (Badal),
Talwandi said all Akali factions were determined to oppose the Congress but Badal would always Sing a different tune as he had boycotted the Vidhan Sabha elections and’ handed over power to the Congress.
Talwandi said Badal had. Already stated that he would not like to waste his time by participating in any such meeting where Akali unity would be discussed. This statement was made by Badal on March 19 at Amritsar.
All Akali factions now seeking unity of the Akali Dal would be ready to extend support to his candidate provided Badal gave an undertaking that he would quit the president ship of the party in case his candidate was defeated and all Akali factions would disband their units and form one Akali Dal.
Talwandi was of the view that the Akali factions should put up a non Akali candidate to defeat the Congress in the Jalandhar by election.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 30, 1993
