Unaware of Barnala`s plans to rejoin SAD: Badal

Muktsar: Responding to reports in a section of local media that Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) president Surjit Singh Barnala has expressed his intentions to rejoin the SAD, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday said he was "completely unaware" of the development. Interacting with mediapersons after inaugurating the maiden Rural Science Congress of the country organised by Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) here today, Badal, who is also the head of SAD, said he had no inkling about the plans of Barnala to rejoin the Akali Dal. He said he had learnt about the same from reports in a section of the media. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Barnala, who had left the SAD about a decade ago, could not be reached for his version on the reports. Replying to a question, Badal rebutted the malicious propaganda of state Congress leadership regarding the politics of vendetta being pursued by the SAD-BJP alliance government against state Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa. Badal said since the beginning of his political career he had always remained a votary of `morality in politics` and had never believed in the politics of vendetta and confrontation.

He said that it was on record that the previous Congress government led by Amarinder Singh had unleashed a reign of terror against SAD leaders by registering false cases against them whereas his government was working on the constructive agenda to ensure overall development and progress of the state.