The Shiromani Akali Dal leadership on Wednesday said the party was “not wedded to the BJP” and that it can consider being a part of INDIA provided the joint opposition front accords top priority to strengthen federalism, commits to safeguard the interests of minorities and honours the aspirations of regional parties.
The comment by the Akalis came a day before the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) holds its second meeting on Thursday to fine tune the preliminary contours of the grand opposition alliance.
Senior Akali leader and former Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha, Prem Singh Chandumajra, on Wednesday rubbished the buzz floating around that stated that the constituents of INDIA had extended an “informal” invitation to SAD to be part of the two-day conclave in Mumbai. Chandumajra said that the Akali Dal can think of being part of INDIA if it resolved to “strengthen federalism, promised protection to minorities and honoured regional aspirations”.
In a departure from party’s staunch stance where its leadership have had always trashed Congress as untouchable when it came to any alliance talks, blaming it for “attack on Golden Temple” during Operation Blue Star and 1984 Sikh genocide, Chandumajra when asked if Akali Dal could come on board with Congress said, “If the alliance is based on above three issues on which we have had always a principled stand, Akali Dal can think of joining the alliance. [In that case, the presence of] any party [among the alliance partners], any individual is immaterial.”
Congress is one of the constituents of INDIA and so is another Akali Dal rival, the ruling AAP in Punjab.
“This is true that [Sikh] genocide cannot be forgotten, attack on Darbar Sahib cannot be forgotten and Congress cannot be forgiven, but sometimes other priorities emerge. However, in today’s date, any party or individual does not matter. The three things which matter are more federalism which is our first priority, protection of the minorities, their religion and culture, and taking care of regional aspirations,” Chandumajra said.
Akali Dal’s former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Naresh Gujral, when asked about any probability of Akali Dal joining the INDIA, too said, “Nothing is closed for us, I can tell you that much. We are not wedded to BJP. It is as simple as that.” Gujral, however, added it was too early for any alliance talks and that “all parties, not in Punjab alone, but all across the country, will open their cards in November.”
Chandumajra, meanwhile, also said that “Present [INDIA] alliance appears as if all are getting together due to fear of being beaten up. It has not announced any clear cut policy. It appears aimed at saving one party, one government and one individual.”
Chandumajra, Gujral and another former Rajya Sabha MP and veteran Akali leader, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, said that Akali Dal has had been in touch with leaders like Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee, Udhav Thackerey, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejashwi Yadav and other regional parties’ leaders.
Chandumajra said he had approached the above leaders last year for formation of a “national democratic front of regional parties”. “At that time they had agreed on such alliance, even Biju Janata Dal had agreed. They wanted [Parkash Singh] Badal sahib to preside over the proposed alliance. Lalu [Prasad Yadav] wanted the Congress to be also invited to become part of the alliance. We said let’s hold first meeting of the alliance and later we can discuss about it,” said Chandumajra.
He added, “Badal sahib was not keeping well at that time and the meeting had to be postponed twice, almost after deciding the probable dates. Subsequently, we did not remain in touch for some time. After the demise of Badal sahib, several BJP leaders came [to offer condolence and express grief]. This slightly sent a message that Akali Dal perhaps was looking forward to [re]-ally with BJP. In the meantime, [opposition] parties came up with INDIA.”
Bhunder said, “The fact of the matter is that except for Congress and the AAP, all other are regional parties and we all [regional parties] have been together. When Badal sahib was alive, Nitish and Pawar said Badal should become the president and lead the alliance. But, they also said Congress would have to be included in the alliance and we said it will not work for Akali Dal.” “We want a joint opposition front, but with Congress on board it cannot happen. We advocate a joint opposition front being a party representing minority community as BJP is anti-minority and has turned anti-federalism now,” added Bhunder.
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“We have no differences with regional parties and if Congress and AAP are not there in opposition alliance, we would want such an alliance,” said Bhunder, adding “we and leaders of other regional parties keep on meeting”.
On whether INDIA had “informally” approached the party, Akali Dal spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said, “Not in my knowledge. Earlier, it was also said by many that Akali Dal was allying with the BJP.”
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress president, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, in a written statement Wednesday slammed the Akali leadership for “attempting to associate with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to maintain its existence in the state” and forming “a false image to force its entry in the NDA alliance”. Warring hit out at Akali Dal for “betraying the farmers by supporting the three contentious farm laws and the dictatorial decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government that killed hundreds of farmers during year-long protest”.
