Bansal flays PM for skirting issues

CHANDIGARH, Aug 20: The Chandigarh Congress has sharply reacted to the noncommittal stand taken by the Prime Minister on the issue of Union Territory status for Chandigarh during his visit to the city.

Congress nominee for the Chandigarh seat Pawan Kumar Bansal has stated that it was unfortunate that Atal Behari Vajpayee did not even dwell on the status of Chandigarh at his election rally yesterday and skirted the issue at the press conference today.

In contrast, he reminded that the Congress party had committed, during the visit of Rajiv Gandhi to the city in 1991, that Chandigarh would remain a Union Territory. Bansal charged the SAD-BJP combine of sacrificing the interests of the people of Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, during his election campaign today, Bansal visited the Gurdwara Nanaksar in Sector 28, where he was presented a siropa by the sangat.