Punjab BJP puts 'on-hold' Deputy CM demand

Chandigarh, Jun 6 (UNI) The BJP has for the time being decided to 'side step' its demand for the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister's post and concentrate on providing good and efficient governance to the people in alliance with its senior partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

" Deputy CM is not an issue, we are having a healthy and smooth working relationship with the SAD", BJP's senior vice president and former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma today said at a media conference after his meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here.

Pointing out that the Deputy CM's post was never a pre election condition, Mr Verma who recently took over from Mr Arun Jaitley as the party's incharge of Punjab affairs, said " this demand came up after the party's good showing in the February assembly polls".

" However if the Chief Minister gives the Deputy CMs post to us, we will accept it", he said while denying that the party had put pressure on Mr Badal to conceed to this demand.

Refering to his meeting with Mr Badal, the BJP leader said that they discussed variours development plans particularly for the villages. State BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari, Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu accompanied Mr Verma for the meeting with Mr Badal.

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