Sarnas take U-turn, not to back BJP in Delhi elections

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 4

The show of unity put up by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Delhi, and Jag Aasra Guru Ott (JAGO) party against Badal-led SAD fell flat on Tuesday with regard to their support to parties like AAP, BJP and Congress in the Delhi elections.

The SAD-Delhi led by PS Sarna on Tuesday took a U-turn on its earlier stand to support the BJP.

SAD-Delhi secretary general HS Sarna, the younger one of Sarna brothers, had recently said his party had no reservations against the BJP after it did not oblige Badal-led SAD by sharing any seats in Delhi.

He had further said his party “will not allow the BJP to feel isolated in the Delhi election” and would back it.

At a press conference, Sarna brothers took a contrary stand announcing that SAD-Delhi would not back any political party or candidate, which would seek support of the party led by Badals.

They announced support to Congress nominees Arvinder Singh Lovely (Gandhi Nagar) and Gurcharan Singh Raju (Vishwas Nagar). With regard to candidates in other constituencies, the choice to support nominees, including AAP, has been left to local leaders.

In response to a question on Badal party having announced unilateral support to the BJP, Sarna brothers said: “No, it is not unilateral. BJP chief JP Nadda sought support from SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.”

Manjit Singh GK, who has announced support to the BJP, said: “There is no question of support to the Congress, which is responsible for the massacre of the Sikhs in 1984 and subsequently, rewarding the conspirators of the crime.”

Meanwhile, the JAGO party has extended support to the BJP on the ground that the Centre constituted an SIT to reopen and reprobe Sikh riot cases. Manjit Singh further said JAGO party and SAD-Delhi were two different political entities. He, however, said both the parties were on the same page with regard to opposition to the Badals.