Delhi polls: SAD says will campaign for BJP nominees
NEWDELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday managed to mend their ties that had come under strain owing to differences over the amended citizenship act resulting in the Akalis opting out of the Assembly elections in Delhi.
On Wednesday, BJP president J P Nadda and SAD’s Sukhbir Singh Badal addressed the media jointly and said they would make a collective pitch for the Sikh votes in Delhi.
Describing SAD as an old ally of the party that has always stepped up to support the BJP on issues of national interest, Nadda who drove to the Badal residence with party general secretary Bhupender Yadav, said the parties continue to remain old and strong allies. He said whenever the NDA has been in power, all issues related to the Sikh community have been addressed.
For his part Badal said the alliance between the two sides was not called off, even when the
SAD decided not to contest the elections with the BJP.
“There were some misunderstandings that have been sorted out. SAD extends full support to the BJP in the upcoming Delhi polls,” he said.
He also referred to the BJPSAD alliance as one that is in national interest, and “meant for Punjab, its people and the Sikhs across the country.”
In a deviation from his earlier stand on CAA, when he urged the government to reconsider leaving out Muslims from the legislation , Badal said, “We have always supported the citizenship amendment act as it directly affects the Sikhs who suffered at the hands of Taliban in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. We had twice approached the home ministry to grant citizenship to these Sikhs who had been waiting for years.”