SAD backs Jaitley's nomination from Amritsar

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and a cabinet minister in the Punjab government, Bikram Singh Majithia on Sunday welcomed Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) move to nominate Arun Jaitley from Amritsar constituency.

"A welcome and a much needed step has been taken by the BJP. People of Amritsar feel very strongly about him (Arun Jaitley). Personally, I feel we needed a person who could advocate the cause of Amritsar, whether, it is in respect of improving the conditions of border farmers or the industry here and even taking forward relation in respect to Pakistan,"Majithia said.

"He (Jaitley) has been in the Parliament for a very long time. Whatever he says will be considered as a government decision as he is one of the top five leader from BJP in present times. If NDA forms a government at the centre, which will happen in all likelihood, then this will be a positive decision favouring Amritsar," Majithia added.

The Punjab revenue minister also rubbished claims that SAD had influenced BJP's decision in changing its candidate.

"Navjot Singh Sidhu became an MP because of wholehearted support from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the last general election. Whosoever BJP decides to put up as a candidate from Amritsar, SAD will lend its support as we are in an alliance with the BJP. We have supported them (BJP) in the past and we will continue to do so in the future. Personally I have no differences with Sidhu as he is my elder brother and I am fond of him," Majithia said.

On Saturday, the BJP in its Central Election Committee meeting which was finalizing the list of candidates for the upcoming elections apparently told Sidhu that he (Sidhu) would not be fielded again from the high-profile constituency of Punjab and was given a choice of three other seats - Delhi, Chandigarh or Kurukshetra. Sidhu remained firm in his stand of contesting Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar while ruling out trying his luck from elsewhere.