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Akalis threaten to withdraw support over Udham Singh Nagar

The Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal today threatened to withdraw its support to the Vajpayee government at the Centre if its demand for the exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed Uttaranchal state was not met.

A decision to this effect was taken at the party's political affairs committee meeting held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is also the party president.

The meeting had been convened by Badal to consider the situation arising out of the Union Cabinet's decision to include Udham Singh Nagar district in the proposed Uttaranchal state.

Later, briefing newspersons, Badal said his party would oppose ''tooth and nail'' the Union government's move to include the district in Uttaranchal. ''We will withdraw our support to the Union government if our demand for exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar district is not conceded,'' he said.

Asked to elaborate, Badal said the decision to withdraw the party's support to the Vajpayee government would be taken at ''an appropriate time''.

He said his party would oppose the bill in its present form on the formation of the new state ''tooth and nail'' and would vote against it in Parliament at the final stage. He said his party would also impress upon its allies -- Samata Party, the All India Anna DMK and the Haryana Lok DAL-R -- to oppose the bill in Parliament.

He said his party was not opposed to the formation of a new state, but was against the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in it in deference to the wishes of the people settled there. He said exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed state was an important matter for his party.

Badal said the SAD, as a political party, had its first duty towards the people of Udham Singh Nagar. ''We are demanding exclusion of the district from Uttaranchal on the basis of merit,'' he claimed.

Responding to another question, he said the Union chemicals and fertilisers minister was agreeable with the party decision on the issue.

He said the Union Cabinet had sent the bill relating to the formation of new state to the President who would in turn send the same to the Uttar Pradesh assembly and after that it would come before the Lok Sabha for consideration. There could be an amendment in the bill even at the last moment, he added.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party expressed confidence that the issue ''would be sorted out amicably.''

Reacting to the Akali Dal's statement threatening to withdraw support to the BJP-led coalition government if Udham Singh Nagar was not kept out of the proposed Uttaranchal state, party spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu said, ''We have taken note of it and conveyed it to the prime minister and we are confident the issue will be resolved amicably.''

He said the BJP was in touch with the Akali Dal and the issue would be discussed with them to find a solution.

While ruling out any danger to the Vajpayee government, Naidu said in a coalition, partners had a broad understanding as it was difficult to satisfy each and every partner on all issues.

The issues raised by coalition partners are discussed at the coordination committee to reach a consensus. He hoped the prime minister would soon discuss the issue with the Akali leadership to remove any differences.

UNI

EARLIER REPORT:

11 Akali MPs petition President against including Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand

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