BJP eyeing Punjab Deputy CM post

Chandigarh, Apr 29 (UNI) The Punjab BJP which won 19 of the 23 assembly seats it contested in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the February polls, is 'hopeful' of getting the Deputy Chief Ministers post.

" Keeping in view the performance of the party and aspirations of the people of Punjab, we definately deserve the Deputy CMs post", the new BJP state president Prof Rajinder Bhandari said while talking to mediapersons after assuming charge of his post at the partys state headquarters here today.

Seated alongside state Local Bodies and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia, whose name is doing the rounds for the Deputy CMs post, Prof Bhandari indicated that talks are going on with SAD for the post. " I am hopeful that this issue will be settled", he said while pointing out that the BJPs central leadership had given the Lok Sabha Deputy Speakers post to SAD.

Denying that there were differences with SAD over the Deputy CM issue, Prof Bhandari said " our coalition is solid and working smoothly". He expressed total satisfaction on the working of the SAD-BJP government under Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Even the Akalis realise that the people had a lot of aspirations and hopes on the coalition government, he added while pointing out that the last Coordination Committee meeting of the SAD and BJP discussed a lot of issues connected with the people of the state.

Asked about the BJPs stand if Junior Badal--Sukbir Singh Badal who is a Lok Sabha member replaces his father Mr Parkash Singh Badal as chief minister, Prof Bhandari quipped " this is a hypothetical question at this juncture. But we will react when it comes".

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