Ludhiana, Punjab: BJP leader and former Health Minister Satpal Gosain has said the BJP alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) in the state needs a rethink. “A string of allegations against the Akali (Badal) Dal has not helped the BJP in any way,” he reportedly said while talking to The Tribune on October 22.
“The drug trade allegations have been a major concern for the people. The BJP needs to rework the nitty-gritty of its relation with its alliance partner for its own good,” he said.
Satpal Gosain
Accusing the Badal Dal of betraying interests of the Punjab industry, he said the industry was suffering and the businessmen in the state were “unhappy”.
“The industry is in doldrums. The state policies have ruined the industry. The surveys we conducted have shown that there is a widespread resentment among the industrialists,” he said.
BJP leaders have started targeting the coalition partner since the saffron party’s success in last Lok Sabha elections. The elections victories of state assemblies in Haryana and Maharashtra have further sharpen the attacks by BJP on Badal Dal.