Fissures between the ruling alliance partners — SAD and BJP — are becoming apparent with each passing day as one or the other leader from both the parties engage in a war of words or a blame-game.
A day after BJP stalwart Balram ji Dass Tandon questioned Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sans any BJP leader, the SAD on Monday made it clear that the Prime Minister on State’s issues was “sole prerogative of the Chief Minister”.
It added that the Chief Minister did not require any permission or signal from anyone for the purpose. More to the point, the party has urged Tandon to “introspect” on his statements and “not do anything which could be misconstrued as playing into the hands of SAD-BJP Government’s detractors”.
Tandon had expressed his displeasure as the father-son duo ignored ally, BJP, to take any leader along while meeting the Prime Minister and Union Ministers in New Delhi.
Reacting to Tandon's outburst, SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal said: “No one could choose when and how the Chief Minister or even Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal could meet the Prime Minister. Meeting the Prime Minister is a continuous process and both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister will continue to do so as and when required.”
Grewal said that it did not behove a veteran leader like Tandon to come out with intemperate statements and espouse what should be the basis of SAD-BJP ties. “SAD is a fiercely independent party which has established itself after an era of sacrifices. We have our own views on certain issues based on commitment given to the people of Punjab. Such issues form the core of our philosophy and entity as a political party and we cannot compromise on the same at any cost,” he said.
Pointing out that there was a certain decorum which needed to be observed in all coalitions, he said that all divergent views, if any, should be first discussed in SAD-BJP coordination committee meetings. “Going to the press with one’s own views on critical issues does not solve any problem. Such actions only aim to create mistrust amongst the people about SAD-BJP relations when no such mistrust actually exists between the two partners,” he said.
Speaking about SAD-BJP relations, SAD leader said that both partners were committed to an inseparable relationship. “As far as SAD is concerned, it is the only party which has always offered unconditional support to the BJP…Badal had even stood with the BJP when it was treated as untouchable by all other mainstream parties,” he said.
Grewal said: “Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the NDA Government of which the SAD is a valued and trusted ally. We should take necessary steps to strengthen Modi’s hands at this crucial juncture as we finally have our own Government at the Centre after facing 10 years of discrimination at the hands of the Congress led UPA Government.”
“Striking discordant notes just for the sake of criticism when a mechanism exists to discuss and resolve all issues will not help the cause of Narendra Modi. All responsible leaders should desist from such activities,” he added.
This is not for the first time that SAD and BJP leaders have traded barbs. Post the alliance’s dismal performance in the lok Sabha polls, right from SAD chief Sukhbir Badal to the state BJP president Kamal Sharma, BJP’s local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, SAD veteran Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa among others have exchanged heated words blaming each other for the ‘poor show’.