CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Normally political parties do not tolerate the rise of their opponents. But, Punjab’s ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal SAD has sufficient reasons to smile over the rise of Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Admi party AAP.
AAP’s performance not only helped the SAD to save its grace during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but, now its rise from fall in Delhi’s ongoing assembly poll, has once again proved a blessing in disguise for the Akali Dal. Ostensibly so, as fearing from the growing popularity of AAP which is giving intense fight to the BJP in the Delhi assembly poll, the saffron party has, at least for the time-being, decided to sink all differences with SAD.
As the prestige of the PM NK Modi is at stake, BJP has decided to forge an alliance with SAD to contest the Delhi poll. Prior to this situation wherein AAP appears equally strong as the BJP with Congress being in no race, BJP had sidelined its poll partner SAD.
This development has not only given respite but bargaining power to SAD to get its important Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who is facing serious charges of drug smuggling racket of worth Rs 6000 crore, bailed out from the central agency Enforcement Directorate. The development would also give SAD leverage to get some pro-Punjab economic package from the centre. Earlier, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had refused to pay any heed to any such demands raised by the Parkash Badal government in the past.
This development has got the potential of re-harmonize the political ties of both the poll partner that had earlier started openly attacking each other, especially on the issue of drugs. The differences between the two had widened to the extent that there were speculations in the air that BJP could dump the coalition government in Punjab by withdrawing support to SAD prior to the next assembly polls which are due in January 2017.
SAD had reaped a harvest of AAP’s good performance in Punjab in April 2014 Lok Sabha polls too. During that poll AAP won four LS seats. Had it not fielded candidates at all other Punjab seats, SAD would not have managed to win any seat other than Khadoor Sahib. SAD managed to win four LS seats because AAP candidates managed to get around 1 lakh votes at these seats by causing maximum damage to the Congress party that could win only three out of 13 LS seats.
SAD-BJP bond getting stronger because the rise of AAP and SAD has sufficient reasons to smile???? Both backed by the mafias and drug dealers are in FOOLS PARADISE. AAP already raised its voice against Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who is facing serious charges of drug smuggling racket of worth Rs 6000 crore. AAP backed by AAM AADMI is not going to spear any corrupt as AAP thrives on honesty only.