SAD will back BJP in Delhi polls: ‘It’s an emotional alliance’

“I am grateful to the SAD for supporting BJP in Delhi elections. Ours is one of the oldest and strongest alliances. SAD has always been at the forefront to strengthen the country and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s hands,” Nadda said. “We will work together, the Sikh community in Delhi will support the BJP.”

Badal, whose party has publicly expressed their reservation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, said they “never broke alliance with the BJP”, but had merely decided not to contest the Delhi polls together.

The sudden turn of events, after the SAD had taken a stand that Muslims should also be included in the CAA, is significant against the backdrop of the developments within the SAD, the main opposition in Punjab. SAD, whose patriarch Parkash Singh Badal is held in high regard by the BJP leadership, faces internal issues with a faction led by its Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa rebelling against Sukhbir Badal. BJP leaders also pointed out that Dhindsa had approached their party’s leadership offering the Sikh support to them in Delhi. After 92-year-old Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir has taken charge of the party, but a section, including Dhindsa, is unhappy with his way of functioning. Sukhbir and the SAD are also facing problems as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has started taking a number of measures to keep the traditional Sikh votes with him.

According to sources, BJP has cautioned the SAD that its support in Delhi is crucial for continuing their alliance. “SAD could not afford losing the BJP’s trust because its position in Punjab has become precarious,” said a BJP leader. For the BJP, keeping its flock of allies has become more important after its alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra fell apart.

Sources said the SAD could not justify its opposition to the CAA as it has been vociferously advocating the legislation. “We have always taken a stand in favour of the CAA. We always wanted the Sikhs coming from Pakistan and Afghanistan due to the difficulties they faced as minorities in these countries to be accepted here,” Badal said.

Sources also said it was, in fact, SAD, represented by Sukhbir’s wife Harsimrat Kaur in the Union Cabinet, that had a role in adding Afghanistan to the list of countries in the CAA.

SAD had voted in favour of the CAA in both houses, but its leaders had sought inclusion of Muslims in the Act as well. The party also found it hard to explain their stand of both supporting and opposing the CAA. With the Amarinder Singh-led Congress making its position formidable among those who object to the CAA, Shiromani Akali Dal had nothing much to earn politically on that front.

SAD’s support in Delhi may not make a huge difference to the BJP’s prospects, where it is facing a fierce battle with the AAP. But BJP leaders pointed out that there are a few seats in Delhi where SAD can influence the election. The SAD contested four seats in the 2013 and 2015 assembly polls — Hari Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Kalkaji and Shahadara. While the party won three seats in 2013, it lost all seats in the 2015 polls. In 2017, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa won the bypoll for the Rajouri Garden seat to re-enter the Delhi assembly.