Summary:
Chandigarh, Jul 18 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali boycotted the presidential poll held on Monday, saying issues related to Punjab remain unresolved and he was not consulted by his party leadership before they decided to back NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu. The Dakha MLA said he spoke to voters and workers in his constituency, and took the decision considering "sentiments" of "Panth" (Sikh community).
NDA"s candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha in the presidential poll.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has three legislators in the 117-member Punjab Assembly.
Ayali also sought the implementation of a report of the Iqbal Singh Jhundan led panel which was learnt to have recommended changes in the party leadership.
The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD had set up the 13-member committee to analyse the reasons for its humiliating defeat in the 2022 state assembly polls.
The SAD had announced support to Murmu in the presidential poll.
The MLA said he had no opposition to the candidature of Murmu.
"But when the party decided to vote for the BJP candidate, I was not consulted.
Even the Sikh community was also not consulted about it." His party colleague and MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi said he was "surprised" by Ayali"s announcement of boycotting the poll.
Sukhi said the decision to support NDA candidate Murmu was taken with the consent of MLAs and MPs.
It was a unanimous decision and Ayali should not have gone back on the decision, said Sukhi.
Ayali said boycotting the poll was his personal decision.
He alleged Punjab has always been discriminated against when the Congress had ruled Delhi.
He said during the bifurcation of the state, Chandigarh and some Punjabi-speaking areas were not given to the state.