Plan to go solo in 2017 may not work
Monday, 09/11/2015
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/
Chandigarh : The Bihar defeat has hit the state BJP’s plan of contesting the 2017 elections alone in Punjab.
The relations between the alliance partners in the state have been sour ever since Narendra Modi government came to power.
A number of BJP leaders and ministers had openly criticised the Akalis in the recent past and suggested parting ways with them. Though a strong group within the party advocated continuing the relationship, another kept pushing against it. This brought the coalition partners on collision course a number of times.
The BJP started a powerful membership drive and issued statements that supported business interests of the urban population, considered the party’s stronghold. The leaders even took up Sikh issues while the RSS made inroads in rural areas. It all fell into the scheme of contesting the 2017 elections alone.
However, post-Bihar fiasco, the BJP is going to need the Akali Dal more, feel analysts.
Though on record both Akali and BJP leaders maintain they always had cordial relations, sources say the ripple effect of the Bihar elections would be seen in the approach of the parties in the coming days.
The BJP was earlier showed no inclination to participate in the November 23 "sadbhawna" rallies announced by the Akali Dal, but now it may join its alliance partner.
The Akalis gave a guarded reaction to the Bihar results. Party secretary general Sukhdev Dhindsa said they hailed the mandate of the voters. Kamal Sharma, state BJP chief said the Bihar result was shocking. On coalition with the Akalis, he said the parties were together but it was for the national leadership to take a call on forming alliance during elections.
