Playing the role of rivals in Haryana seems to be taking a toll on the coalition between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP in Punjab.
A day after cricketer-turned-politician and firebrand BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu launched a veiled attack on the SAD for tying up with the Indian National lok Dal to fight against BJP candidates in Haryana assembly polls, the SAD on Thursday in turn blamed him for “backstabbing the BJP as well as his mentor Arun Jaitely in the lok Sabha elections” by refusing to campaign for his own party in Amritsar.
“It is shocking that Sidhu, who had not been honest to his own party, is trying to teach lessons to the SAD,” said SAD general secretary and party core committee member Maheshinder Singh Grewal.He said that instead of resorting to cheap theatrics, the former MP should admit whether Union Minister Arun Jaitely was his mentor in politics or not. “If this is true as the whole world knows, he should explain why he back stabbed his political guru when the latter needed him the most,” he added.
Making it clear that the Akali Dal did not practice selfish and self-centred politics as displayed by Sidhu in Punjab, Grewal said: “We have always stood by our friends and allies and that is why we are contesting assembly elections in league with the INlD in Haryana.”
“Sidhu is a new entrant in politics but even he should know that the SAD has been a traditional ally of INlD since the time of Chaudhary Devi lal. We are only continuing in that tradition,” he added.SAD leader also advised Sidhu to “maintain decorum and not treat political speeches like a comedy circus show” while referring to a senior and respected leader like Om Prakash Chautala.
Also referring to few other issues touched by Sidhu while campaigning in Sirsa, Grewal said Sidhu had alleged that the Akalis had ensured BJP’s defeat in Amritsar, “while the truth was that Jaitely lost most heavily in BJP held assembly segments”.
Motor mouth Sidhu, while campaigning in Sirsa on Wednesday, had said: “Our allies hug us in Punjab, but in Haryana, they are wrestling with us, which is unethical.”Sidhu had also gone vocal against Akali Dal leadership in Punjab when he was Amritsar MP when he raised a banner of revolt against its own government in the state, targeting particularly the Badals, over the diversion of funds meant for Amritsar, and scuttling his development projects.