Shiromani Akali Dal President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday said his party’s alliance with Om Parkash Chautala’s Indian National lok Dal (INlD) for Assembly polls will not affect SAD’s ties with the BJP.
“Akali Dal has decades-old relation with INlD and will continue to support it,” he said. BJP, on whose support SAD is heading the alliance government in Punjab, is well aware of this fact and understands the situation so it will not have any adverse effect on Akali-BJP relationship, he said.
SAD is an important constituent of the National Democratic Alliance led by BJP that is heading the government at the Centre. INlD is contesting 88 of the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, while SAD has fielded its candidates in Ambala city and Kalanwali seats.
Despite resentment expressed by Haryana BJP leaders over senior Akali leaders canvassing for INlD contestants, SAD patron and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir have been campaigning for party nominees in Haryana.