Facing opposition from its own ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided not to prune its decades old relationship with its partner in Punjab. In its core committee meeting, Punjab BJP on Sunday made it clear that the growing discontentment with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the farm bills would not compel it to axe its ties with the Punjab’s regional party.
In fact, the party has left the decision — of continuing the alliance or not — on the Akali Dal. Notably, a day before, the Akali Dal’s core group has also decided that it would not withdraw its support to the NDA Government at the Centre.
Even as the voices, demanding separation of ties with the Akali Dal, has been growing within the state party unit since the past few years, the core committee’s decision has raised many eyebrows. It has been learnt that by doing so, the saffron party has adopted the ‘wait and watch policy’ to see the Akali Dal’s next move.
Moreover, by putting the ball in the Akali Dal’s court, the party has tried to give an indication of how much importance the NDA’s oldest ally enjoys.
“The agriculture bills would protect the interests of farmers. BJP has come up with these bills to bring a better change in the farmers’ lives,” said Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma while supporting the new laws.
Sharma added, “Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s resignation from the Union Cabinet is sad. But the BJP could not do anything, as it SAD’s internal matter. We have decided not to pull out from the alliance. Now, it is up to the Akali Dal to decide whether it wanted to stay in the alliance or not.”
During the Core Committee meeting, attended by eight (out of total 10) members including former Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, former state BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari, former Minister Manoranjan Kalia, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, among others, detailed discussions were held over the farm bills.
Describing the move as “a start of new era for the farmers”, the core panel decided to launch a massive awareness campaign to apprise the farmers about the new legislations.
A party leader told The Pioneer that during the meeting, the members observed that earlier Akali leaders were supporting the bills but later, due to the farmers’ protest, they came under pressure and started opposing the new laws as “anti-farmers”.
The core panel also discussed the resignation by SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Cabinet saying that it was the result of farmers’ protest against the bills. “Harsimrat’s resignation would not affect the alliance of BJP and SAD and we would continue for the welfare of the people of Punjab,” said the BJP leader, who did not wish to be named.
The panel also decided that the BJP workers would meet the farmer leaders to apprise them of the benefits of these farm bills. “BJP would also approach the farmers at the village level to make them aware of the bills. We would tell them that the MSP would continue in future and there was nothing to fear,” added the BJP leader.
