No dispute between Punjab govt and EC: Bhandari

Fatehgarh Sahib, July 21 (UNI) Punjab BJP president Rajinder Bhandari today said that there was no dispute between Election Commission (EC) of Punjab and the state government over the conduct of Municipal Corporations elections in the state.

Talking to media persons after attending the cremation of senior BJP leader Sohan Lal Gupta at Mandi Gobindgarh, Mr Bhandari said that there was earlier some confusion due to communication gap between the EC and the government,which was later cleared.

He said that Local Bodies Department of the state government had issued a corrigendum that it had ''recommended'' and ''not ordered'' the EC to conduct the elections, thus clearing the ''misunderstanding.'' When asked why the government had shown reluctance in holding the elections of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation, Bhandari said that the elections had to be delayed due to the delicate law and order situation that prevailed in the Bathinda region due to Dera Sacha Sauda row.

However, he said that BJP was ready to contest the elections and had no reservations regarding the dates.

Refuting reports that Punjab government was keen on holding the Municipal Corporation election on August 8 as it apprhended that the much-talked about Atta-Dal scheme might not kick-off on August 15, which could lead to its defeat, Mr Bhandari said that the SAD-BJP alliance was committed to fulfill the promises made in the manifesto and the electorate could always reject it in the next assembly polls in case it failed in doing so.

''Our alliance will win the elections with thumping majority,' he said.

On the name of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal doing rounds as the NDA candidate for the post of Vice President of India, Mr Bhandari said it was the prerogative of NDA core committee to decide on the issue.

However, Mr Bhandari lauded Mr Atwal as a ''visionary and said he personally would support him if his name were discussed.

UNI