Akali Dal gives a miss to NDA meet

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday skipped a meeting of the NDA convened to chalk out the strategy for the Budget session of Parliament with one of its leaders saying that the party was extremely upset over the RSS interference in management of gurdwaras. "We are extremely upset and hurt by what is happening in Hazur Sahib in Nanded. The RSS should not interfere in the religious issues related to the Sikhs. We have also been demanding a package for the farmers," SAD Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral told reporters.

He said the party wanted to attend the meeting of NDA leaders but "skipped" over the issue. Asked about it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said SAD Lok Sabha MP Prem Singh Chandumajra informed him about his pre-engagement and thus he could not attend the meeting.

Chandumajra, who attended the all party meeting, told reporters that he has to receive best parliamentarians award thus he was leaving. However, the NDA meet was attended by BJP's another sulking ally Shiv Sena. Its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut attended the meeting.

The BJP parliamentary party executive also met which was attended among others by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, party veterans L.K. Advani and M.M. Joshi.