Ludhiana, 18th January, 2008: Senior Bharatiya Janta Party Leader and Punjab State BJP Investor Cell Chief, Advocate Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal, Namberdar stated that elevation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as Deputy Chief Minister is an autocratic, desperate and needless decision of Sardar Prakash Singh Badal. Grewal stated that this decision will only send an off beam signal to the people of Punjab that SAD-BJP have accepted the defeat even before Lok Sabha elections as Sardar Prakash Singh Badal is uncertain whether such an elevation will be possible after Lok Sabha Polls.He cited an intelligence report of Sh. N.P.S Aulakh, DGP, Punjab to the Sardar Prakash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, extracts of which were later published in the Vernacular Dailies where in prospects of SAD-BJP Government were projected to be poor in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls which could have led to Sukhbir Singh Badal elevation.

Grewal stated that BJP routed Congress in Urban areas to bring back SAD-BJP coalition back to power and should have been right contender for Chief Minister position but we maintained “Coalition Dharma” and despite dismal performance of SAD, Sardar Prakash Singh Badal was named Chief Minister. It was then decided that a Deputy Chief Minister would be appointed from BJP to respect the mandate of the people of Punjab but Sardar Prakash Singh Badal failed to fulfill his promise despite repeated demands from BJP Punjab State President Sh. Rajinder Bhandari and other eminent leaders from various platforms. It is pertinent to mention here that in last SAD-BJP Government appointed Sh. Balramji Dass Tandon as Deputy Chief Minister from BJP despite fewer seats won by BJP. So, at this stage Sukhbir Singh Badal’s elevation as against appointment of a Deputy Chief Minister from BJP is a surprise element for party workers across ranks of BJP. Workers are feeling cheated and insulted for indifferent attitude of Sardar Prakash Singh Badal. He said that consensus of the office bearers from BJP should have been taken on such an important issue especially when the Lok Sabha Polls are round the corner and Party workers are already aggrieved that they have not been given due respect and participation in the government when they have been serving party for over 20 years and served even jail terms in emergency while a few are enjoying flavor of being in Government.

Grewal said he is in befuddled whether to consider Sukhbir Singh Badal’s new designation as promotion or demotion as Party President is considered to be above any position in Government including Chief Minister of a Government especially, when Sukhbir Singh Badal have been ruling as Super Chief Minister in Punjab. Grewal stated that it’s a well known fact testified by reports from various vernacular dailies that Sukhbir Singh Badal have been working as de-facto Chief Minister and people close to him have taken over Transports, Cable TV Networks, Sand Mines, Advertisements, Real Estate and Hospitability ventures forcibly from reputed houses across state.  Sukhbir Singh Badal coronation as Deputy Chief Minister will be a formal acceptance of BJP his wrong doings and will further send wrong signals to the Investors.

 Grewal stated that he is receiving calls from people across State wherein intellectuals are raising doubts over performance of the coalition in Lok Sabha elections. Whispers are doing rounds that Sardar Prakash Singh Badal will either take moral responsibility for the debacle in upcoming Lok Sabha Polls or will seek retirement on health grounds to ensure his son inherits Chief Minister position. He stated that Sh Arun Jaitley, General Secretary, BJP have humbly accepted Sardar Prakash Singh Badal as elder in the extended SAD-BJP family but he doubts whether a similar gesture will be shown by SAD in the event Sardar Prakash Singh Badal retires to pave way for a BJP Chief Minister in SAD-BJP Government. Prominent BJP Investor cell Punjab Leaders among other who were present on this time Ashok Garg Budladha, Sandeep Sharma Tony Jaitu, Deepak Sharma Malseeian, Rajesh Pathak Bittu Dhandari,Nipon Sharma, Shakha Bagga Hoshiarpur, Surjit Gogna Ahmedgarh, Navdeep Singh Mullanpur, Pardeep Jain Jodhan, Babu Vijay Mall Doraha, Chamkaur Singh Pandher Kohara, Jaspal Singh Lotey, Anup Sharma Khanna, Gagan Singla, Ramesh Bhalwan, Lucky Sabharwal, Devinder Singh, Ramandeep Singh Ludhiana, Ajit Singh Nurpur Bett.