The BJP’s ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal, on Tuesday declared that it would contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana.
A meeting of the core committee of the party held here presided by SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also passed a resolution saying regional languages serve as an inalienable symbol of the rich multicultural character of our federal and democratic polity.
Spokesperson Harcharan Singh Bains said the party had decided to hold a workers’ meeting in Kurukshetra on September 22 to screen candidates interested in contesting the elections. “Interested candidates had already been asked to submit their applications by September 22.”
Mr. Bains said a committee headed by senior leader Sardar Balwinder Singh Bhunder would hold negotiations with the BJP on seat-sharing in the polls which are due next month.
Special resolutions
The core committee also passed two special resolutions. “In one, the SAD urged the government of India to order an immediate release of all Sikh prisoners languishing in different jails throughout the country despite having served their stipulated sentence. In the other, it reiterated its strong and principled commitment to the perseverance and promotion of the Punjabi language.
Campaign panels
Meanwhile, the party president Sukhbir Singh Badal set up a campaign committees for Jalalabad and Dakha by-elections.
While former Cabinet Minister and senior leader Janmeja Singh Sekhon will be the campaign in-charge for Jalalabad constituency, senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema will head the panel for Dakha, said Bains.
The core committee, in its meeting, also mourned the demise of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and paid glowing tributes to him.
