Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal has expressed concern about political discourse hitting a new low in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He said that politics should not become an “India versus Pakistan” situation.
However, Sukhbir Badal hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a decisive and strong prime minister. Sukhbir Badal said that he is the only choice to steer the NDA after the Lok Sabha election results.
In an interview to PTI, Badal said, “We need a strong prime minister. After so many years we got a prime minister who is decisive. You can’t let the country run on auto mode. We need a leader who can take the country on the path of faster growth.”
He also expressed his concerns about personal attacks against leaders in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He said, “We politicians are not enemies. We are not like India-Pakistan. Politics should not be like India versus Pakistan. Unfortunately, it is becoming like that. Everyone has their own views but still, we are all Indians and the interest of the country is important for us. There may be a platform where we may have to be together against a common enemy.”
When asked if the NDA might need new partners after the results and demand a change of leadership, he said, “People are voting for Modi and he is the right person to lead the country. I think we should stick with him after the results. He is the only choice.”
It is remarkable that Sukhbir Badal is contesting Lok Sabha elections after 15 years as the SAD-BJP candidate from the Ferozepur Lok Sabha constituency. It will go to polls on May 19 in the last round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. There are 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The SAD is contesting 10 seats, while the BIP is fighting on three seats.
Sukhbir Badal lashed out at the Captain Amarinder Singh government. He said that the biggest issue in the state is non-performance of the Congress government, which has failed on all fronts. He said that CM Amarinder Singh is the most incompetent chief minister in the country. In Punjab, there is a very strong sentiment against him. He doesn’t travel through the state. Taking on the Gandhi family, he described them as a liability for the Congress in the state.
