Voices of parting ways with its decade-old alliance partner in Punjab — the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — was heard in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp on Tuesday.
A section of senior leaders of the State BJP unit, during the party’s core committee meeting, opined to “go it alone” for the next State Assembly polls due to be held in 2017. The meeting was attended by the party’s newly-appointed Punjab affairs in-charge Ram Shankar Katheria, who was on his maiden visit to the state after his appointment.
The demand does not seem far from reality considering the BJP’s winning streak since lok Sabha polls coupled with single-handed success in Haryana and Maharashtra after breaking ties with its allies in the two states.
On the other hand, the state party unit president Kamal Sharma denied any such move, maintaining that the coalition between the SAD and the BJP is tried-tested and strong. “We are going to contest the ensuing civic body polls in alliance with the Akali Dal,” said Sharma.
Sources within the BJP told The Pioneer that murmurs of dissidence among the BJP leaders against the Akali Dal turned into concrete actions during the core committee meeting with a section of senior leadership, including former State chief, asserting that the party should “seriously consider” contesting 2017 elections “on its own”.
The development assumes significance as the party high command has recently assured the SAD leadership that the alliance would continue. At the same time, the state BJP unit is taking on the SAD on the drug issue.
The “factual” and “real” picture of the State of affairs in Punjab, in terms of politics, economic situation and party’s position, was presented before the state party in-charge Katheria. Actually, the party leaders submitted their grievances and complaints against the SAD.
“Katheria was made acquainted with the seat sharing arrangement with the Akali Dal in the state. He was informed that in 2014 general elections, party won two and lost on one from where party’s stalwart Arun Jaitley contested,” a senior BJP leader said.
SAD-BJP combine’s defeat on seven seats during 2014 lok Sabha polls ensued in a blamegame with the BJP pointing out SAD’s “wrong decisions” for their poor show.
BJP’s fact-finding panel, headed by its senior leader Balram Ji Dass Tandon — now Chhattisgarh Governor, had listed out various factors including property tax, taxes on trading community, high prices of sand and gravel, deteriorating law and order situation, growing drug menace, delay in VAT refunds, coupled with burden on urban voters of power subsidy, among others as issues that led to loss of seven seats in the general elections.
Informing that Tandon Committee recommendations and suggestions have already been submitted with the Punjab Government, the party leaders alleged that the same have been put on the backburner.
They alleged that “nothing” has been done, so far, on the Tandon Committee report. “The government’s image, that was hit hard recently after 2014 polls, would have improved if action was initiated on the committee’s report,” a party leader said during the meeting.
The party leaders also informed Prof Katheria that the economic situation of the state government is dismal. And, to tackle the same, the party has opined to rationalise Rs 5,000 crore power subsidy being given to the state farmers, including farmers with large land holdings.
During the meeting that run for more than two hours, the party blamed that owing to the poor fiscal situation, several developments have been stalled. If that is not all, the party leaders also complained to the in-charge that the BJP leaders and ministers were not paid due attention by its senior alliance partner, and even the administration also listened to the Akali jathedars in the districts ignoring BJP leaders.
After the core committee meeting, Prof Katheria also held meeting with the party’s office bearers, district in-charges, in-charges of party’s cells and morchas, among others in the evening. Besides general introduction, discussions on strengthening the party organization and expanding its base were also held.