BJP skips joint meeting with SAD; to miss Cabinet meeting

Chandigarh: Punjab BJP today skipped a combined legislative meeting with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), its ally in the state government, alleging that the latter "did not act tough" after an attack on a BJP MLA's brother.

"We did not attend the joint meeting with SAD as the state government did not act yet as per our demands in connection with the attack on the brother of BJP leader and cabinet minister Anil Joshi," BJP, National general secretary Tarun Chugh said here today.

Last month, the brother of Punjab cabinet minister and BJP MLA Anil Joshi, was attacked outside the SDM office in Tarn Taran Sahib in Punjab. Joshi had charged the SAD MLAs with being behind the "murderous attack" on his younger brother Raja Joshi.

Chugh, who also attended BJP's Legislature party meeting here, said that it was unanimously decided by the party not to attend the meeting with SAD after the first day of Budget session.

BJP's legislature party meeting was also attended by Punjab BJP President Kamal Sharma.

Chugh said, "BJP MLAs will also not attend cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow."

"No BJP MLA attended the today's meeting with SAD," Punjab Cabinet Minister and senior BJP leader Madan Mohan Mittal said here.

The sulking BJP stayed away from the meeting after the state government "failed" to act as per the party's demands.

BJP had then given 24-hour ultimatum to the state government to take action including suspension of SSP, dismissal of SHO in connection with the attack on the brother of Anil Joshi.

"Those who were arrested in this case have also got bails. How long we will bear it?" BJP MLA from Jalandhar North K D Bhandari said.

Punjab unit of BJP was also upset over the purported remarks of SAD spokesman Daljeet Singh Cheema about BJP MLA and cabinet minister Madan Mohan Mittal.

A section of media had reported that Akali MLA and education minister Daljeet Singh Cheema had allegedly said that SAD had taken the support of Independent municipal councillors in the election for the President of Rupnagar Council "to teach Mittal a lesson".

No SAD leader, including its spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema, was contactable despite repeated attempts for alliance partner's comments.