SAD in talks with JJP for seat-sharing in Hry
NEW BONDS It failed to stitch up an alliance with BJP, its traditional partner in Punjab; announcement is expected in a day or two
We will contest on all seats in Haryana. It can be with an understanding with one or more political parties, except the Congress. BS BHUNDER, SAD’s secretary general
CHANDIGARH : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is in talks with Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) to forge an alliance for the October 21 Haryana polls, days after it failed to stitch up a seat-sharing alliance with its traditional ally in Punjab — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Though both SAD and JJP have not opened their cards yet, as they claim that talks are on with the like-minded parties to strike a seat-sharing deal.
A leader of SAD, who is part of a committee dealing with the Haryana elections, said talks with JJP chief Dushyant Chautala are at the final stage and an announcement is expected any time soon.
In October last year, the JJP was floated after INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala expelled his elder son and former MP Ajay Chautala as well as latter’s both sons — former MP Dushyant and youth leader Digvijay — for anti-party activities.
“We will contest on all seats in Haryana. It can be with an understanding with one or more political parties, except the Congress,” says SAD’s secretary general BS Bhunder, but he refused to divulge details about the arrangement with the JJP.
On being asked that there was no promise from BJP for an alliance with the SAD, Bhunder said that in a rally in Narwana before the parliamentary polls, senior leaders of the BJP, including the CM Manohar Lal Khattar, had assured of an alliance with the SAD in the state polls, asking the Akalis to support the party in the general elections.
On Thursday last week, SAD decided to contest all alone in the assembly polls after its MLA from Kalanwali Balkaur Singh was inducted into the BJP.
Balkaur is now BJP candidate from Kalanwali. Akali Dal claims sway in 30-35 assembly constituencies having sizeable Sikh and Punjabi population.
As the process of filing of nominations has already begun, an announcement regarding SAD and JJP patch-up is expected in a day or two.
The Akali Dal used to contest elections in Haryana in alliance with the INLD before the party severed ties with it in 2017 over contrary stands on the SYL canal issue.