Punjab BJP chief condemns attack on Dera Chief's convoy

Fatehgarh Sahib, July 17 (UNI) Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajinder Bhandari today condemned yesterday's attack on Dera Sacha Sauda Chief's convoy.

''The BJP had always opposed violence, and so I strongly condemn attack on the convoy of the Dera Chief,'' Mr Bhandari said while talking to media persons at Alour near Mandi Gobindgarh.

However, he lauded Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's role in the issue saying it was ''playing a positive role in resolving the Dera row and making all efforts to defuse tension''.

On being asked why the party had kept silent on the Dera issue so far, Mr Bhandari resplied that the BJP believed that the political parties should not meddle in religious matters.

He also asserted that there were no differences between the BJP and its major alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and said that both the parties were holding periodic discussions over important issues.

When asked about the BJP claim on Deputy Chief Minister's post, he expressed confidence that the matter would be amicably settled between the alliance partners.

He also dismissed as ''mere rumours'' the reports of rift among Punjab BJP leaders adding that had no knowledge of any such incident.

Talking about the coming Municipal Council (MC) elections, Mr Bhandari said that SAD-BJP alliance would share the seats as per the distribution pattern that had been followed during the MC elections of 1997 and 2002.

Denying media reports that SAD acting president Sukbir Badal was preparing to contest assembly election in Punjab, Bhandari said that so far there was no such move. However, he decribed Sukhbir, as a ''visionary and energetic youth Akali leader''.

He said that there was no move of reshuffle in Punjab BJP. Out of 28 eligible districts of the state, election in 8 districts have been conducted in fair and transparent manner, he said.

The state BJP president expressed concern over the problems faced by the industries in the state and said that he had held a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today over the issue. The BJP was stressing for overall development of the state and development plans for 40 towns have been chalked out, he added.

He also ruled out re-introduction of Octroi in Punjab at this juncture and stressed that bureaucrats should be directed not to thwart industrial development in the state.

UNI