Badal declines CM’s offer on govt house

Thanks successor for gracious gesture

Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday politely declined the offer of a free government accommodation made by the State government, saying he was thankful to his successor Amarinder Singh for the gracious gesture.

In a gesture of goodwill, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had on Saturday decided to provide Mr. Badal with free government accommodation of his choice amid reports that the senior Akali leader was hunting for a suitable residence after demitting the chief minister’s office.

“It is very graceful of him to make this offer and I thank him for this from the core of my heart. But I am making my own arrangements for stay. However, I value his sentiment highly and fully reciprocate it,” he said in a statement here.

Mr. Badal said he and his party, SAD, would fully, whole-heartedly and constructively support any decision of the Congress government in the State which is in the larger interest of the people of Punjab.

No confrontation

The SAD does not believe in confrontation nor in criticism for the sake of criticism, the ex-Chief Minister said, adding if the new government has the will to fulfil its promises, it can easily do so.

“Their (Congress’) manifesto was prepared and released by one of the finest economists in the world, Dr Manmohan Singh, and he would not have made these promises if he thought that Punjab government’s treasury was empty and lacks the funds to meet these expenses,” the former Chief Minister said.

“So I expect the new government to fulfil their promises in he first months itself. I will personally congratulate them when they do so,” he said. Mr. Badal said he was surprised over the setting up of a committee to study the farmer’s debt.