BJP placates Badal, points fingers at Capt

This is yet another attempt by the BJP to placate Badal, who is cross with the party for having let him down in the face of the current tirade of Amarinder Singh. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani had come out against Amarinder on the issue. It is not the merit of the allegations being traded by both sides in Punjab that has forced the BJP to make a common cause with Badal. Rather, it is the political compulsions which have stirred the BJP into this late exercise.

Of the five states which are going to the polls by the end of this year, the BJP needs the Akali support in four. Sikhs are an important factor in Delhi. They also have a sizeable presence in Rajasthan, particularly in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts bordering Punjab. The Sikhs are not as crucial to the BJP prospects in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as in Delhi and Rajasthan, but they obviously count there as well.

The party, therefore, has to keep Badal in good humour to boost its electoral prospects in the four states. Even on a long-term basis, the BJP needs the Akali Dal to not only push its tally in Parliament, but to also project a broad profile at the national-level.

The strategic advantage of commanding the support of the established Sikh leadership can be best understood by none better than the BJP, which has been for long treated as a political pariah for its commitment to Hindutva.

The three leaders were faced with a volley of questions at a joint media conference at the BJP headquarters today. Khurana, when asked about the failure of the NDA Government to act against Amarinder, said: ‘‘I have got the documents only now.’’ As for their source, he said: ‘‘Some Congress men have provided them to me.’’

Dhindhsa, replying to question about an NDA team’s visit to Punjab, said the July 16 meeting was a religious affair. He said: ‘‘They are ready to visit Punjab. However, we are delaying it.’’