Will contest Lok Sabha election, if asked by party: Sukhbir Badal
He said his father and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has already made it clear that Taksali Akalis are those who are loyal to the parent party that is SAD, and not those who have backstabbed it.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday hinted that he will contest the coming Lok Sabha elections.
“Our party’s core committee will take a decision on this. If I am asked to contest, I will abide by the party’s decision,” said Sukhbir when asked whether he would contest from Ferozepur parliamentary constituency.
Sukhbir was in the town along with his wife Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.
However, he dismissed as speculative the reports that the SAD has decided to field him from Ferozepur and Harsimrat from Bathinda seats. “We have so far finalised only two candidates — Bibi Jagir Kaur from Khadoor Sahib and Charanjit Singh Atwal from Jalandhar.”
He said, “In Punjab, the contest is between the SAD-BJP alliance on the one hand and all the remaining parties on the other. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Akali Dal (Taksali) and the Punjab Ekta Party — they all have an undeclared alliance with the Congress.”
“The AAP is hand in glove with the Congress. AAP’s first government in Delhi was formed with the support of the Congress. Other parties in Punjab like the Taksalis and Punjab Ekta Party have been propped up by the Congress to weaken us,” he added.
‘Taksalis are jaali (fake)’
Replying to a question about the Akali Dal (Taksali), Sukhbir said none of their candidates announced till now could be called ‘Taksalis’ (old guard). “They have jumped from one party to another. They are not Taksali but jaali (fake),” he added.
He said his father and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has already made it clear that Taksali Akalis are those who are loyal to the parent party that is SAD, and not those who have backstabbed it.