|
Akali Dal to vote against UPA
government
WSN Network
CHANDIGARH:
Putting to rest all speculation on party's stand on the nuclear
deal, the Shiromani Akali Dal, which has eight members in the Lok
Sabha, has finally said it would vote against the Congress-led UPA
government during the trust vote.
"The SAD has a
clear-cut policy against the Congress. After detailed discussions,
the party has decided not to support the Congress-led government
during the trust vote," SAD president Parkash Singh Badal said.
"Our party does
not believe in horse-trading. SAD MPs will vote along with the NDA
during the confidence vote," the Punjab Chief Minister told a "Meet
the Press" programme here.
He categorically
said the party would not abstain from voting, adding "our MPs will
not run away from the battlefield."
Badal said the
SAD would also not issue any whip as there were no differences among
party MPs on the nuke issue.
Slamming the
ruling UPA, Badal said it had not taken the Akalis into confidence
on the India-US nuclear deal.
Asked whether
the SAD, by voting against the government, would not be blamed for
dislodging the country's first Sikh Prime Minister, he said "instead
of adopting a conservative approach, we should have a broad thinking
on the matter."
"If this is the
case (the issue of Sikh premier), then tomorrow all Hindus,
Christians and Muslims will start voting for the man of their
community and religion," Badal said.
The party had
always kept interests of the Sikhs uppermost in its mind, the SAD
supremo said.
When reminded
that some party MPs, including Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, were of the
view that the SAD should not vote against the Sikh premier, Badal
said "there is no confusion. The party is not divided on the issue."
Asked if he was
invited by the 10, Janpath for seeking his party's support, the SAD
chief said "water and fire cannot live together."
Badal, however,
hailed Manmohan Singh as an "able and respectable person", but said
"he is representing a party which has always done grave injustice to
Sikhs."
He said "it is a
fight between parties and not between individuals."
To a question,
Badal said Lok Sabha polls were "very close". "I am sure these will
be held ahead of schedule."
16
July, 2008
|
Read Also
