They both seem to agree that Punjabs poor fiscal health needs a booster dose of fresh taxes. But allies SAD and BJP clearly disagree on whether the money should come from rural or urban voters. The BJP this week forced SAD president Sukhbir Badal to water down the anti-tax evasion measure e-trip and fee for regularisation of illegal colonies - both affecting its urban votebank. The partys new-found assertiveness is being credited to the Modi effect. Having lost out in the numbers game after the Assembly elections,the new BJP president Kamal Sharma had come under fire from both within his party and the opposition Congress for being pliable to Badals. Now Sharma is using his proximity to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to force the government to review its decisions. Sharma conceded that the Modi-Badal proximity is working to the advantage of Punjab though he says the government retracted under public pressure. Modi has a very cordial relationship with both CM and Sukhbir. If this is working to the states advantage,it should be welcomed. Both e-trip and fee for regularisation of colonies had caused great resentment among traders and people, Sharma said. On whether the BJP was taken into confidence on the two tax proposals,Sharma said all proposals are passed by the cabinet in which both Akali Dal and BJP ministers are present. As alliance partners,we are working in tandem. After e-trip and regularisation fee generated such hue and cry,we asked the government to review them and we are thankful to the government for doing so, he added. In its new-found assertive avatar,the BJP does not rule out an impact of Modi effect on seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Winnability will be the sole criteria. We swapped seats during the Assembly elections and it worked to our advantage. Both parties will decide on seats before the Lok Sabha polls, he said.
