In a stunning political development coming just weeks before the Delhi elections, the NDA has been dealt a jolt with the Shiromani Akali Dal stating that it will not contest the upcoming polls.
Explaining the party’s stand, Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that after the BJP leadership asked Akali Dal to reconsider its stand on Citizenship Amendment Act, Akali Dal decided that instead of changing its stand on CAA, it won’t contest the elections.
M Sirsa: SAD and BJP have an old relationship, but after stand by Sukhbir Badal ji on #CAA which was to include ppl from all religions, BJP leadership wanted us to reconsider this stand. So, we decided to not fight these polls instead of changing our stand. #DelhiElections2020 pic.twitter.com/eWfR7lViLI
— ANI (@ANI) 20 January 2020
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, commenting on the development, said it is the SAD”s stand not to contest the elections.
“The Akali Dal is one of our oldest ally. It has also supported us in Parliament over the citizenship Law. If they do not want to contest elections, it is their stand,” Tiwari said without commenting further.
Sirsa declined that his party”s decision was prompted by non acceptance of their seat sharing formula by the BJP.
The SAD or Akali Dal had been traditionally fighting on four of the 70 seats -Shahdara, Kalkaji, Rajouri Garden and Hari Nagar – in Delhi Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP.
In 2013, the SAD had won three of the four seats but failed to win even one in 2015 Assembly elections.
“The problem is the CAA, not the number of seats. We are not against the CAA but our stand is that Muslims should be part of it,” Sirsa said. He said no discussion over seat sharing took place during meetings with BJP leaders.
“Our alliance with the BJP is based on brotherhood. The alliance brought peace and progress in Punjab. With this stand, the alliance is not breaking though,” Sirsa said ducking the question whether the alliance with the BJP remains or not.