Tribune news service
Chandigarh, December 6
Continuing their efforts to forge a new national political front against the NDA government led by Narendra Modi, a delegation from Shiromani Akali Dal today held parliaments with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the head of Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai.
Former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, who led the SAD delegation, said that in addition to reaching an understanding to forge a national alliance, Thackeray agreed in principle to restore Takht Hazoor Sahib’s old management system, Nanded. Chandumajra said that the Chief Minister had agreed that the administration should have representatives of Sikhs from all over the country.
Currently, only the Sikhs of Maharashtra are part of the administration after the previous combined Shiv Sena-BJP government had recast the membership. “Thackeray has agreed that two representatives of the SGPC should be part of the leadership. This was a major demand from the Sikh community in India and abroad. The CM has ordered meetings to be held next week to formalize this arrangement, ”he said.
Chandumajra said Shiv Sena’s boss was hurt by the BJP government’s attack on federalism and its attempts to weaken regional parties and dethrone regional governments.
Chandumajra had met yesterday with the head of the All India Trinamool Congress and West Bengal’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, in Calcutta. He said Thackeray and Mamata Banerjee were looking forward to the new political front.
He said the SAD delegation will meet with former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in the next week. He has already met with the President of Biju Janta Dal and the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik.
“Regional parties have to come together to save the federal system in the country and end the dictatorial government of Narendra Modi,” said Chandumajra. SAD and Shiv Sena were among the BJP’s oldest allies. While the SAD severed ties with the BJP over agricultural laws, the Shiv Sena had previously parted ways due to differences in the Maharashtra polls.
‘Efforts to keep federalism alive’
- SAD’s adviser on national affairs, Harcharan Bains, said the ongoing efforts were the party’s vision of a genuine federal structure in the country to hold it together.
- “The party does not see ties in narrow electoral terms. Most of the regional parties naturally have their influence in restricted areas, ”he said.
