Six-member SAD-BJP coordination committee formerd in Punjab

Phagwara, Apr 7 (UNI) A six-member Co-ordination Committee of SAD and BJP was formed last night in a dinner meeting hosted by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with prominent BJP leaders, including BJP National General Secretary and Punjab Party Affairs Incharge Arun Jaitley.

The first meeting of this Co-Ordination Committee would be held on April 16 in Chandigarh. The committee, formed with an objective to ensure the smooth running of the newly-installed SAD-BJP alliance government in Punjab, would have three members each from the BJP and SAD, BJP Asstt party incharge Punjab, R P Singh, who attended the meeting at the Chief Minister's official residence told UNI here today.

The meeting would prepare the SAD-BJP poll strategy for coming elections of Muncipal Corporations, developmental policies and other public-related issues, he said.

Punjab Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, Punjab BJP President Avinash Rai Khanna and BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu would represent the BJP in the committee, Mr Singh informed.

The Shiromani Akali Dal representatives would include the Dal chief Mr Badal and two other Akali leaders to be named by Mr Badal soon.

The Co-ordination Committee would meet every fortnightly to discuss the issues for smooth functioning of the Government.

When asked whether issue of creating of the post of Deputy Chief Minister to be held by the BJP had been closed, Mr Singh stressed, ''Not at all, the issue was still open and BJP wanted the post of Deputy Chief Minister.'' UNI XC JN PK GC1707