CHANDIGARH: BJP has repeated Haryana in Delhi as far as election alliance with SAD(Badal) is concerned. The BJP has refused to make any election alliance with SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Delhi elections. Earlier BJP had refused to give even a single seat to Akalis in Haryana assembly elecions.
SAD Delhi unit has claimed that they have decided not to contest electins due to differences with BJP on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). It is well known fact that SAD was so far supporting BJP on CAA and even voted in favour of bill in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The SAD leadership on the other hand claimed that their alliance in Punjab was intact even after humiliation in Haryana and Delhi.
It is learnt that SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had demanded an audience with Union Home Minister and BJP mentor Amit Shah on the issue of Delhi assembly poll but latter refused to meet him. It is pertinent to mention that Harsimrat Kaur SAD MP and wife of Sukhbir Badal is member of Modi cabinet. She has not offered her resignation due to differences with BJP on CAA.
SAD was demanding 10 seats in Delhi assembly elections. In initial talks between second rung leaders, SAD had agreed to contest four seats offered by BJP. However after intelligence reports that if BJP forges an alliance with SAD in Delhui, Sikhs would not vote for BJP, the party high command backed out from the earlier offer of four seats. The Sikhs in Delhi were still annoyed with Badal family for their alleged role in sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and pardoning of deta Sacha Sauda chief Gurnmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Even on CAA, Badals had supported BJP against the interests of Sikh community.
It is beleived that BJP may also break its alliance with SAD(Badal) in Punjab to fulfill the sishes of state BJP leaders who have given feedback to party high command that Badals have lsot their base among Sikhs and any alliance with them would be suicidal for BJP. Master Mohan Lal former BJP minister at the function organised to install new state President Ashawani Sharma had given call to dump Akalis Dal and make BJP Chief Minister in the state. Master Mohan Lal was once close to former CM Parkash Singh Badal.
SAD has sufferred major setback after Rajya Sabha member and senior SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and his son former Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa had revolted against Badal family and joined hands with SAD(Taksali) led by fornmer minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura. SAD had lsot 2017 assembly elections after name of Bdal family figured in the sacrilege cases.
Meanwhile, Raj Kumar Verka MLA and spokesman of Punjab Congress said that SAD was supporting BJP on CAA and if they are really against implementing CAA, Harsimrat Badal must resign in protest.