BJP mocks Akali-BSP tie-up in Punjab, terms it 'failed attempt'

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 14

Mocking the recently stitched Akali-BSP alliance in Punjab, the BJP on Monday called it a “failed attempt”.

The party’s national general secretary and Punjab leader Tarun Chugh claimed that the alliance will “hardly have any effect” on poll prospects of the BJP's former ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal, in the Assembly elections next year.

"Akalis have broken up with a party with a higher vote share (BJP) and gone with BSP that polled just 1.5 per cent votes in the last Assembly elections," he said, adding that in 2022, BJP’s main rival will be the Congress and not the Aam Aadmi Party.

The Akali Dal had broken off with the BJP last year over the three Central farm laws.

Speaking on the SAD-BSP alliance and the BJP’s preparations for the Punjab Assembly elections in 2022, Chugh said: “They (Akali Dal) are trying to attract SC votes in an SC/ST dominated state with a party that polled a little over 1.5 per cent vote share in the last elections. They are also projecting a ‘jat’ face as CM and have also kept SC seats with itself."

The Punjab leader also said that the “political significance of SAD has declined significantly due to Bargari (sacrilege) case”.

Regarding BJP’s preparations for the elections to the 117-member Assembly, Chugh said meetings were held in two places, Jalandhar, and Amritsar, to chalk out the plan on Sunday. “Our main rival is the Congress party”, he said also dismissing “any significant advantage” to the AAP in 2022. “Their best chance was in 2017, their appeal is over,” he said.

On BJP’s prospects amid continuous protests against party leaders in Punjab, Chugh said “the party is conveying its message to farmers on the issue”. “That the agitation is political, Punjab farmers understand well. The Direct Benefit Transfer of MSP has further clarified their doubts regarding the laws,” he claimed.

Heckled and not allowed to hold functions in their constituencies, many party leaders are believed to have voiced concern to the leadership.

The saffron party also performed poorly in the last municipal polls, winning a handful of seats.

Notably, in the 2017 Assembly elections, the BSP contested 111 seats and, barring one, the majority of its candidates lost their security deposits. It polled a vote share of around 1.5 per cent on the seats it contested.

The BJP, which contested on 23 seats in alliance with SAD, won three with a vote share of around 29 per cent in seats it contested. Its overall vote share was around 5.4 per cent in 2017.