Chandigarh: Continuing with its efforts to carve a new national political front against the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, a delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal held parleys with Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai.
Former MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, who led the SAD delegation, said apart from reaching an understanding to forge a national alliance, Thackeray has in principle agreed to restore the old management system of Takht Hazoor Sahib, Nanded. Chandumajra said the Chief Minister had agreed that the management should have representatives of Sikhs from all over the country.
Presently, only Sikhs from Maharashtra are part of the management after the previous Shiv Sena-BJP combine government had recast the membership. “Thackeray has agreed that two representatives of the SGPC should be part of the management. This was an important demand of the Sikh community in India and abroad. The CM has ordered holding of meetings next week to formalise this arrangement,” he said.
Chandumajra said the Shiv Sena chief was pained at the attack on federalism by the BJP government and it’s attempts to weaken regional parties and dethrone the regional governments.
Chandumajra had earlier met All India Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. He said Thackeray and Mamata Banerjee were looking forward to the new political front. He said the SAD delegation would meet former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the coming week. It has already met Biju Janata Dal president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“The regional parties have to come together to save the federal system in the country and to end the dictatorial government of Narendra Modi,” said Chandumajra. The SAD and Shiv Sena were among the oldest allies of the BJP. While the SAD broke ties with the BJP over the farm laws, the Shiv Sena had parted ways earlier over differences in Maharashtra polls.
