CHANDIGARH:  Punjab BJP leaders today stayed away from the public meeting of BJP’s national president Rajnath Singh owing to  differences between Punjab and Chandigarh units of BJP.  Rajnath Singh had came here to inaugurate office of Chandigarh BJP.

Punjab BJP media incharge Vineet Joshi who was present outside the venue of public meeting addressed by Rajnath Singh alleged that no BJP leader from Punjab was invited for the function. BJP MP Navjot Singh who incidently accompanied Rajnath Singh was not allowed to speak from stage.

The supporters of Sidhu who had emerged in good strength at the venue raised protest against not allowing Sidhu to speak. Sidhu himself went to his supporters and clamed them down.” I am not supposed to speak everywhere”, he told the group of youngsters.

Rajnath Singh in his address reaffirmed BJP’s alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab and announced that BJP would contest next assembly elections under the leadership of SAD president Parkash Singh Badal.

Rajnath Singh’s statement is considered significant in wake of long stand off between the two parties on the issue of seat sharing. The coordination committee formed to decide the issue had failed to come on any result so far. The reports emerging from party circles said that certain members of coordination committee from both parties were against continuing alliance with each other.

Rajnath Singh said here that SAD-BJP relations are very old and strong in every respect. He said that SAD and BJP would also forge alliance in Chandigarh Muncipal Corporation elections due in December 2006.

Joshi blamed certain SAD members of coordination committee for trying to sabotage alliance with BJP. He said that BJP had issued show cause notices to its members of coordination committee who had spoken against the alliance. BJP state general secretary Harjit Singh Grewal and Vijay Sampla had spoken against the alliance. Joshi alleged that SAD Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Dhinda had also issued statement to sabotage the alliance and SAD has not taken any notice of it.