For SAD, feedback not encouraging, buzz of post poll alliance gains ground

A feedback gathered by the party from its cadres after the February 20 Assembly polls, suggests that the Akali Dal was “likely to win minimum 15 and maximum 20 seats” in Malwa region, which has maximum 69 Vidhan Sabha seats of the total 117 in Punjab. The party is now pinning hope on Majha and Doaba regions, which account for 25 and 23 seats, respectively.

While it is said that the road to Punjab Vidhan Sabha passes through Malwa, at times, Majha has emerged as king maker especially when the other two regions returned mixed verdict.

In 2017, the Akali Dal had won on only two seats out of 25 in Majha – Bikram Singh Majithia winning from Majitha and Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal from Batala. The party had won five seats out of 23 it contested in Doaba alliance with the BJP.

A senior Akali leader, requesting not to be named, said party hoped to get “at least 10 seats each in Majha and Doaba, and at least 15 seats in Malwa”.

The leader said party’s former ally BJP was likely to get “two to three seats each” in Majha and Doaba as he underlined the probability of a post-poll alliance with the saffron party. BJP national president JP Nadda made it very clear when he told The Indian Express that “Our priority is national interests, and to grow in the state…So I don’t see much scope in compromising with them (Akalis). But, I must add, our Parliamentary Board will take a decision post-election”.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma, when asked about a post-poll alliance with Akali Dal, said, “We contested the election to form the government. The people have given their verdict and I am hopeful that people voted to bring BJP to power”.

On probable alliance with SAD, BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia who contested from Jalandhar Central said, “Things will clear only after results are out on March 10.”
Party general secretary Subash Sharma too said that as of now, “BJP has no plans of any alliance” with anyone. “We are expecting a much better performance of our party even though BJP was being targetted during the farmers’ agitation” he said. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, the chief of breakaway Akali Dal faction SAD (Sanyukt), which contested in the polls alliance with the BJP, claimed that no post-poll alliance with Akali Dal was being considered by the saffron party. “Only Akali Dal leaders are making such noises. I am not in favour of such an alliance,” he said.

Sources in the Dhindsa camp, however, added that even if a post-poll alliance is crystallized, the BJP will call the shots, making Akali Dal play second fiddle.
Akali Dal spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema said his party was confident of forming government on its own. “People are talking a lot about AAP’s wave but on ground it was less than half of what it was in 2017. We are hopeful of forming the government on our own. Post-poll alliance is not a matter of discussion as of now,” said Cheema.

Masses, however, think that political parties have no fixed ideologies when it comes to forming government. Sonu Nilibar, president of Punjab cloth merchant association and owner of Nilibar store on Mall Road, Ludhiana, said, “Ideally speaking election campaign should run on the basis of poll manifesto, but it was running on blame game, CM face, allegations against each other etc .. hence political parties just want to be in power ..so we do expect that SAD-BJP may think of an alliance once again if they are short of seats. This is a talk going on in almost every house..we never considered them apart even earlier as well as I don’t recall as whether they sternly attacked against each other during poll campaign.” He however added,” actually speaking we want a stable government which can stop the exodus of youngsters to outside countries, so if it comes by doing alliance or not , it doesn’t matter to us, we want results.”

Sources from BJP had even cribbed that seat distribution was also not correct in many constituencies. ” In Sahnewal constituency, there were over 50,000 migrant voters , Hindu voters too ..so over a lakh voters were migrant/ Hindu but this seat went to SAD ( Sanyukt), while Jagraon and Gill are pure rural seats and tickets were given to BJP candidates..these were the seats where farmers were not even allowing BJP to organise rallies,” said a BJP leader on the condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile rallies of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar got cancelled in Gill and Jagraon constituencies as farmers had announced protests ahead of the rally . BJP though had cited technical reason as the cause to cancel rallies.

” Even if SAD-BJP broke alliance, we always considered them together, SAD did it out of political compulsion fearing protests of farmers otherwise Badals had been praising farm laws till mid September, 2020 ..so if they come together yet again for the sake of power game, it will not be a surprise for us at all.. ideologies don’t matter at all to people, one common motive is to be in power,” said Jagseer Singh Jhumba, district committee member of BKU Ugrahan , Bathinda unit.

Mandeep Singh Wholesaler cloth merchant in Caliber Plaza Ludhiana said,” in one lane, there were supporters of four parties , so one can imagine as what type of government is expected.. political parties are saying that a clear mandate will come but the way people have voted in urban areas, many surprises can come and hence we will not feel surprised if parties will run into each other seeking alliance. This talk is in every discussion about poll pattern and many local SAD and BJP leaders also don’t deny it outrightly.” BJP’s Subash Sharma however still says,” we will prefer to sit in opposition , talks about alliance are too premature.”