Sukhbir Singh Badal rules out his father's plans of moving to the Centre

CHANDIGARH: A day after Nitish Kumar led JD(U) pitched for Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to head the nation, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that his father will serve the state and has no plans of moving to the Centre.

"Whatever kind of offer he (Badal) gets from NDA or from anyone else, he will stay in Punjab," Sukhbir, who is son of five times Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, told reporters here.

"The Chief Minister (Badal) loves Punjab...he is clear that he wants to stay here in Punjab," Sukhbir said setting at rest, the speculations that Badal might get a bigger role if NDA is voted to power at the Centre after Lok Sabha polls.

In the past as well, Badal had turned down offers by section of NDA leaders to become President of the country.

Yesterday at a function at Mohali, Bihar Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh had urged Badal to hoist the national flag from the Red fort after the Lok Sabha polls.

Sukhbir said that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would declare party candidates for the Lok Sabha polls "shortly".

On being asked that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has roped advocate H S Phoolka as party nominee for the Ludiana parliamentary seat, Sukbir said that "anybody is welcome to fight in politics...it is his personal choice."

He, however, said that SAD always supported Phoolka in his fight in courts in related to 1984 anti-Sikh riots.