Chandigarh: SAD (Badal) and BJP- the long-term political allies are presently not at good terms. The BJP leaders in Punjab have started expressing themselves openly that the BJP should not accept subordinate position in its’ alliance with SAD (B) in Punjab anymore.
During an event held on Friday (Jan. 17) in Jalandhar, the state BJP leaders advocated that BJP should not accept less than 59 seats in Punjab. BJP gets 23 (out of 117) seats under current arrangement with SAD (B).
As elections in Punjab will be held only after at least 2 years, the state assembly elections in Delhi are turning to be a test for SAD (B)-BJP alliance.
Media reports say that the allies could even part their ways as both parties have hardened their stances.
In Delhi, SAD (B) perform as a junior artist as its gets only 4 seats (Rajouri Garden, Hari Nagar, Shahadra and Kalkaji) in 70 member state assembly. Rest of the seats are contested by its’ ally- BJP.
Last time the arrangement was such that only two of SAD (B) candidates had contested elections on their own party symbol. Other two had contested on BJP’s election symbol.
This time SAD (B) president is adamant that all four candidates of his party would contest elections on SAD (B)’s party symbol. On the other hand the BJP want all four SAD (B) candidates to contest polls on BJP’s election symbol.
Differences are said to be such deep that media reports are speculating that the two parties could context next month polls separately.
It is noteworthy that the SAD-BJP alliance had been under strains previously also. SAD (B) leaders used to say that their partnership with BJP was akin to a wedlock. It remains to be seen that whether the allies would settle their differences or this this time it would leader to their divorce.