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Gujral continues his Akali affair despite UF criticism

Undeterred by the criticism from United Front partners, Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral on Friday shared the dais for the second day with ruling Akali Dal leaders at election meetings in Kartarpur and Nakodar.

Gujral, a Janata Dal candidate from the Jalandhar constituency, had shared the platform with the Akalis at meetings in Sultanpur Lodhi on Thursday.

At Kartarpur, Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Sarup Singh and local Akali leader Ranjit Singh Kahlon were on the dais with Gujral.

At Nakodar, Minister of State Ajit Singh Kuhar welcomed the prime minister and appealed to the people to vote for him.

The prime minister thanked Darbara Singh who was present on the dais for having offered to vacate the Jalandhar seat for him even when there was no indication of a mid-term poll. Darbara Singh was a member of the dissolved Lok Sabha.

Earlier, Gujral and his rival Congress candidate Umrao Singh exchanged pleasantries at a social function in Congress rebel Avtar Henry's residence. Henry is the Punjab Congress vice-president.

At Thursday's meetings, Gujral said the Akalis were not 'communal' -- they were nationalists.

''How can the followers of the Granth Sahib be communal?" he asked, "The holy book contains the teachings of saints of different religions.''

Present on the dais then were Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Akali ministers Upinderjit Kaur, Jagir Kaur and Ajit Singh. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Madhu Dandavate were also present.

Gujral referred to Badal as 'prime minister' and named Jagir Kaur as 'Joginder' Kaur. He said he preferred sacrificing his government to removing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ministers as the Congress demanded. He gave a clean chit to the DMK and said the removal of its ministers would have alienated Tamils from the national mainstream.

Gujral said there was no corruption charge against him during his prime ministership. He appealed to the people to vote for him 'as a Punjabi'.

Badal, on his part, said Gujral's election had become a 'prestige issue' for all Punjabis. The people should elect him to express their gratitude for all he has done for his home state, the chief minister said.

UNI

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