BJP chief Nadda to meet ex-Punjab CM Badal on Feb 20

BJP national president J P Nadda on Thursday will meet Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal at his residence in Punjab's Muktsar, days after the former chief minister said the minorities "should be taken along" to run a government.

At a rally in Amritsar on February 13, Badal had said that all religions should be respected. Nadda will be coming to Punjab for the first time after taking charge of the party, a party leader said on Wednesday. "The BJP president will meet Badal Sahib at his residence in Badal village of Muktsar on Thursday," said the BJP leader, adding that it will be a courtesy call.

Nadda will land at the Bathinda airport in the morning from where he will go to Muktsar to meet Badal. Later, Nadda will go to Amritsar and pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir and Ram Tirath, said the party leader. The BJP national President is also expected to meet the state party leadership in Amritsar, said the BJP leader.

The Shiromani Akali Dal had earlier refused to contest the assembly elections in Delhi after the BJP asked it to change its stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act. However, in a U-turn the party backed the BJP candidates during the assembly elections.

The SAD had wanted that the Muslims to be included in the CAA, a legislation which seeks to give citizenship to members of persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.