Badal invites Chandumajra ahead of polls

Chandigarh, Jan 1 (UNI) Even though Akali Dal (Longowal) President Prem Singh Chandumajra has denied news reports of his party's truck with main opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the latter party's chief Parkash Singh Badal today appealed to him to put their differences aside in interest of the people of Punjab.

In a statement issued here, Mr Badal asked Mr Chandumajra and Akali Dal (Longowal)'s General Secretary Baldev Singh Mann to throw their weight behind the SAD, so that the ruling Congress could be defeated in the February 13 Punjab assembly elections.

Mr Badal said he had already appealed to all pro-Punjab, pro-people and pro-Panthic parties in the state to unite under the banner of the parent organisation (SAD), in order to deliver what he described as ''the clinching and final blow to the tottering regime of a corrupt and inefficient dictator (Capt Amarinder Singh) in the state.

Mr Badal praised the 'vision and commitment' of Mr Chandumajra and his colleagues including Mr Mann and Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli to the cause of the 'Panth' and Punjab and their contribution in ridding the people of the state of the 'anti-Punjab Congress party'.

''They are valiant soldiers of the Panth and Punjab. They will be given places of respect and honour befitting their long struggle against the Congress party in general and Capt Amarinder Singh in particular,'' Mr Badal stated.

He expressed confidence that Mr Chandumajra and his colleagues would play a crucial role in shaping the future policies and programmes of the party.

UNI