Arun Jaitley plays down Badal`s Deputy PM remark, says he`s not looking for positions

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi/Amritsar: A day after Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal suggested that Arun Jaitley could be given the post of deputy prime minister if the National Democratic Alliance forms the next government at the Centre, the senior BJP leader sought to play down the remarks. “Akali Dal-BJP relation is a comfortable relation. I am not looking for positions,” Arun Jaitley told ANI news agency. “These are comments made in the course of a campaign,” Jaitley added. BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Badal had only expressed his opinion. “Badal ji is a senior leader, he hasn`t given a decision,” Naqvi said. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut also commented on Badal`s remarks, saying, “Let Modi be PM, then we can talk about the Deputy PM.” “Choti baate badi banke saamne aati hai, ye ghar ki baate ghar mai rahe to hi acha hai,” he added. At Jaitley`s first rally in Amritsar, Badal had yesterday hailed the BJP senior leader, pitching him as the future deputy PM or finance minister if the NDA is voted to power under the leadership of Narendra Modi. Notably, three-time Rajya Sabha MP, Jaitley is contesting his first-ever Parliamentary Election from Amritsar. Jaitley was named by the Bharatiya Janata Party as its candidate for the Amritsar seat last week. Sitting MP, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu was overlooked by the BJP for the seat following serious differences between him and leaders of the Punjab BJP and alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal. Commenting on the Amritsar seat controversy, Jaitley today said, “Both BJP and Akali workers were keen that I contest this seat. Party took a decision.” He denied there was any controversy, saying “I spent hours trying to persuade him (Navjot Sidhu) to contest from Amritsar or elsewhere.”