Chandigarh/ Punjab (May 18, 2014): As part of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) may not have the same political clout it enjoyed during the Vajpayee government.
The BJP, which has got majority on its own this time, is not dependent on any of its political ally, which was not the case with the Vajpayee government.
Moreover, the performance of Punjab ally has brought disappointment for the Hindutva party that swept many states as an effect of “Modi wave”. The Badal Dal was only able to repeat it’s 2009 performance. By securing two seats, its ally, the BJP has done better than the last time.
![Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Majithia, Narindra Modi, Parkash Singh Badal and Raj Nath Singh during Jagraon Rally [February 23, 2014]](http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/wp-content/uploads/Badals-and-Modi-at-Jagraon-300x196.jpg)
Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Majithia, Narindra Modi, Parkash Singh Badal and Raj Nath Singh during Jagraon Rally [February 23, 2014]
Sarabjeet Dhaliwal, a senior journalist with The Tribune (TT), has passed an observation that [i]n the given situation, the Badal Dal leadership will not be in a position to press for slots in the Modi cabinet. During the Vajpayee government, it had got two ministries. Now, the BJP has enough of its own MPs to accommodate in the cabinet.
“Besides, the humiliating defeat of BJP leader Arun Jaitley in Amritsar is also likely to act as an irritant in relations between the two parties. To settle political scores with BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, the SAD leadership had brought Jaitley to Amritsar by promising him a big win. However, when Jaitley confronted the ground realities in the election arena, he was reportedly taken aback”, TT report reads.
“Now because of his defeat, despite Modi wave in the country, his opponents in the BJP will be taking potshots at him. Though he is a member of the Rajya Sabha and will have no difficulty in getting an important ministry in the Modi Government, defeat in Amritsar will weigh on his mind for a long time” it reads further.
“It is expected that the BJP will become more assertive vis-à-vis the SAD (Badal) and possibly dictate terms to it” Journalist Sarabjit Dhaliwal has predicted.