Badal to revamp SAD structure

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, JAN. 10. In an obvious move to test the waters before Assembly elections, the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, today announced elections to Zila Parishads and Block Samitis. He also announced a number of changes to revamp the organisational structure of the Shiromani Akali Dal - which he heads - but categorically denied any move to advance the Assembly polls which are due early next year.

Addressing presspersons after chairing the meeting of the apex decision-making body of the party, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which was followed by a meeting with the chiefs of the party's district units, Mr. Badal said that the State Government would recommend to the Punjab State Election Commission to hold elections, to these bodies, which were due in November 1998. He said though the State Election Commission would take the final decision, it would be appropriate to hold these polls either just before the harvest of the wheat crop or immediately after.

The Akali leader also made a significant announcement that the party's women, youth, farmers' and scheduled castes' wings would be dissolved and reconstituted soon. He said the same exercise would be carried out for the party units in other States and overseas. He said the party would soon begin a programme of organising party conferences in every district from February onwards. Regarding his meetings with leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Mr. Badal avoided a direct answer, and restrained himself to saying that nothing politically significant had transpired.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : Few takers for online dictionary
Next     : Christians see VHP hand in Udaipur attack