Sukhbir to be sworn in as Punjab Deputy CM

Chandigarh, Jan 19: Shiromani Akali Dal President and MP from Faridkot, Sukhbir Singh Badal will be sworn in as Punjab's Deputy Chief Minister at Amritsar on Wednesday after BJP top brass backed him for the post despite concerns raised by the saffron party's State unit.

Forty-six-year-old Sukhbir will be taking oath in Amritsar at 1 pm, SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema told newsmen here on Sunday.

Sukhbir's father, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had called on BJP President Rajnath Singh in Delhi Saturday evening and invited him to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his son as Deputy Chief Minister.

Sukhbir himself had also called on BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L.K. Advani in Delhi Saturday evening to extend a formal invitation to him to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

The Lok Sabha MP had taken over as SAD President from his father on January 31, 2008.

Earlier, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had said that he had apprised senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Rajnath Singh with his move and did not see any valid reason in state BJP leaders being unhappy about it.

On Saturday, a delegation of state's BJP leaders had met Advani in Delhi and conveyed to him the party's concern over Badal's move, which they felt was against the "coalition dharma" and one which would send a "wrong signal" just before the Lok Sabha polls as the father-son duo would now be holding two key posts.

After the BJP top brass gave their green signal for Sukhbir's elevation to the Deputy CM's post, the state saffron unit had put off a meeting of its office bearers, MLAs and MPs scheduled to be held here on Sunday.

Earlier, Chief Minister Badal had dismissed as baseless the charge that the move to make Sukhbir Deputy CM would perpetuate dynastic rule, saying the "young blood" deserved a chance to actively participate in Government functioning.

"The question is not that (promoting dynastic rule). The question is whether the person is capable or not", Badal had said.

About the possibility of Sukhbir being elevated as Chief Minister, he had said, "When appropriate time will come, that too will happen".

Sukhbir, who is married and has three children, did his MBA from the U.S. and had also served as a minister in the NDA government at the Centre.

Meanwhile, SAD postponed its meetings of the Working Committee and General Council which were scheduled to be held on January 21 in view of Sukhbir taking oath as Deputy CM on that date.