JALANDHAR, Nov 24: The Central panel constituted by Prime Minsiter Atal Behari Vajpayee on Udham Singh Nagar issue, in October, is yet to hold a single sitting though it is to present its report to the Prime Minister by November 30.The panel chaired by Defence Minster George Fernandes has Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalayan Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as its members.Confirming this, Badal told The Indian Express today that due to the preoccupation with the Assembly elections in four states and by-election in Punjab, the panel members had not been able to meet.Vajpayee had constituted the panel after objections and threats of support withdrawal to the Vajpayee government by the Akali Dal (Badal) on the Bharatiya Janata Party's attempts to include Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed state of Uttaranchal.The Central government had constituted the panel to resolve the deadlock and the report of the panel would be binding on both the Chief Ministers.Badal said he would contact Fernandes shortly to hold a meeting.The winter session of Parliament begins on November 30 and a Bill for the creation of Uttaranchal state out of Uttar Pradesh would be introduced in the session.Meanwhile, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Capt Amarinder Singh has dubbed the panel as an eyewash.He alleged that the Akali Dal (Badal) had already bowed before its ``BJP masters'' at Delhi and struck a ``deal'' through which an Akali Dal MP would be included in the Central Cabinet.He said the Akalis were making only ``false noises'' in public and were not ``serious'' about it.Amarinder Singh said if the Akalis had been so serious about the issue, they should have withdrawn the support to the Central government to safeguard the interests of the Punjabi community in Udham Singh Nagar.
