The absence of Akali patriarch and Punjab’s five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Prime Minister’s Gurdaspur rally on Thursday raised many eyebrows.
Senior Badal’s absence at Modi’s first rally to kick-start the party’s election campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections has raised questions over relations between the two alliance partners.
Even as Punjab BJP president Shwet Malik cited poor health as the reason for Badal’s absence from the SAD-BJP’s joint rally, former Chief Minister’s continuous appearances in the recent past did not give much weight to the same as this was the first time that the senior Badal choose to stay away during Modi’s visit to Punjab.
If that was not enough, no Akali leader reached the airport to receive the Prime Minister. However, SAD president Sukhbir Badal, his wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal, and other senior leaders attended the rally.
Giving credence to the rumours of Akali Dal and BJP relations turning sour are the reports of the Badals refusing to provide their buses to the saffron party for the rally. It has been learnt that the Company, owned by the Badals, have provided the buses after charging fees, while the BJP leaders have claimed that they have been given some concession.
Sources informed The Pioneer that Akali Dal, especially the senior Badal, was not happy with the BJP for claiming credit for the opening of Kartarpur Sahib corridor, besides other Sikh issues. In fact, SAD leaders were surprised at the timing of the Modi’s election rally at Gurdaspur, as the poll panel is yet to announce the dates for the same.
It has also been learnt that the BJP may also pressurise the “besieged” and “dispirited” Akali Dal to seek more seats for the Lok Sabha polls. As per current arrangement, SAD contests on 10 out of total 13 seats in Punjab, with just three in BJP’s kitty.