SATINDER BAINS
CHANDIGARH: BJP has reportedly proposed the name of former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra as President of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to forge an alliance with SAD for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. BJP is not ready to make SAD part of NDA with Sukhbir Badal at the helm of party affairs.
Prime Minister Narender Modi has mentioned that SAD faction led by former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa is the real Akali Dal. Dhindsa faction is part of NDA and is deadly against Badal family. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had resigned from SAD(Badal) blaming Sukhbir Badal for hijacking the party for vested interests. It is believed that Dhindsa is instrumental in building pressure to replace Sukhbir Badal as party president and merge the SAD factions to be part of NDA.
The SAD under leaderhsip of Sukhbir Badal had lost the last assembly elections and he (Sukhbir Badal) is facing charges of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib during regime of his father Parkash Singh Badal when he himself was the home minister. Badal family has also lost the trust of Sikh Community when Badal government appointed Sumedh Singh Saini as DGP of Punjab despite the fact that Saini eliminated hundereds of innocent Sikh youth during days of militancy. Badal family also patronised former DGP Mohammed Izhar Alam who formed Alam Sena and killed Sih youth in fake encounters. SAD had given party ticket to wife of Alam and appointed him Chairman of Wakf Board.
Badal family was also responsible for giving pardon to dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh and used the Akal Takht Jathedar to meet political goals. The decision to exonerate dera chief was withdrawn after strong reaction fromt he Sikh community. Badals were often blamed for misusing the Shiromani Gurdawara Parbhadak Committee for their vested political and business interests. The recent episode of granting Gurbani telcast rights to PTC channel owned by Badal family is another glaring edample of infleunce of Badals on SGPC. Badals are also accused of supporting BJP government at the time of farmers agitation against three farm Acts,
BJP leadership is not ready to make SAD part of NDA for political reasons. First SAD had withdrawn support from BJP during the farmers agitation. Harsimrat Kaur Badal who was cabinet minister initially supported the agri bills but later resigned due to public pressure. The poor performance of SAD in the last assembly elections is another reason BJP is not ready to accept SAD as major partner. BJP is keen to play major partner in the Lok Sabha and next assembly elections. BJP is relying in the reports of imtelligence agencies that Sukhbir Badal is most unwated leader in Punjab and SAD cant revive as long as he is president of the party.
BJP reported to have conveyed it to Sukhbir Badal to step down from the party presidentship before any sort of political alliance. Dhindsa reported to have conveyed to BJP no compromise with Badal family is possible. Sukhbir Badal for the last some time is making all out efforts to strike an alliance with BJP and avoiding criticising BJP on various important issues. BJP has not called SAD to attend the NDA partners meeting held in Delhi this week while Dhindsa was one of the invitees.
It is reported that BJP demands 70 percent share in the assembly and Lok Sabha seats but Sukhbir Badal is not ready to accept the condition. BJP may also manupulate another split in the SAD, if Sukhbir Badal remains adament. Many SAD leader including Manpreet Ayali leader of SAD in Vidhan Sabha are not happy with working style of Sukhbir Badal.