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SAD-BJP divide may show up in MC polls |
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SATINDER BAINS
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Thursday, 15 May 2008 |
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CHANDIGARH: The trail of bitterness created between the alliance partners--the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP-- during the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections is expected to last longer than anticipated. The stand-off between the two parties may be extended to the Municipal Committee elections due next month.
The top leadership of SAD and BJP had on Tuesday diffused the political crisis after five BJP Ministers offered their resignations to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal over alleged beating up of BJP workers by SAD ranks at some places.
The BJP had fielded candidates in the rural areas for the first time with a view to making inroads into the Akali strongholds. This was resisted by SAD workers. It is believed that local units of the party had tactical support of senior leaders. The BJP has alleged that civil and police administration had colluded with the Akalis and failed to protect party men and supporters.
Political observers feel that during the ensuing MC elections, BJP workers may retaliate by preventing SAD candidates from contesting in the urban areas. The BJP is expected to demand a bigger share of the seats in the MC polls. The village panchayat elections in Punjab are due on May 26 but since no party will contest on party symbol, the confrontation may not be serious.
A BJP Minister told The Pioneer on the condition of anonymity that the MC elections would be the litmus test for both parties since BJP workers at the grass root level are not happy with the action taken by the Punjab Government against those guilty of violence in the Zila Parishad elections. Mere transferring of DC and SSP of Tarn Taran and suspension of two police officials was nothing more than an eye wash, he remarked.
Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of SAD, said on Wednesday that the SAD-BJP alliance would complete its five-year term despite recent developments. The alliance between the two parties was natural and time-tested and the incidents of violence during the zila parishad elections had happened due to certain misunderstanding.
The crisis, however, has not blown over. According to BJP sources, resignations by five Ministers were handed over to Balbir Punj, national general secretary of BJP, who will discuss the matter with the party high command. The resignations have not been withdrawn by Ministers, sources said. |
