New Delhi, India (November 7, 2013): According to media reports the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) have finally agreed to a seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections slated for December 4, 2013. Delhi SAD (Badal) president Manjit Singh GK, who is currently also heading Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) said that the BJP had agreed to let the Badal Dal contest on four seats – Hari Nagar and Rajouri Garden in west Delhi, Kalkaji in south Delhi and Shahdara in east Delhi. It is notable that Hari Nagar and Rajouri Garden are considered as Sikh-dominated areas.
It is notable that Badal Dal is a long standing political ally with Hindutva party BJP for several years now. Colatition of both parties is ruling Punab for second consecutive term. Badal Dal had earlier refused to join hands with the BJP in Delhi after the latter refused to give it the seats of its choice.
It is learnt that the decision regarding seat sharing with Badal Dal was taken at a high-level meeting attended by BJP president Rajnath Singh and senior party leaders such as Lal Krishna Advani, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj.
There are 70 seats in the Delhi assembly and the Badal Dal and the BJP had a similar seat-sharing arrangement in 2008 elections. The Badal Dal had contested on four seats — Rajouri Garden, Shahdara, Jangpura and Adarsh Nagar — but lost all.
Badal Dal was considering it to be on strong footings after its election success in 2012 municipal elections, where six of its seven candidates were elected, and then in Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee elections in January this year, where its candidates won 37 of the 46 seats.