New Delhi, May 14
The rout of the BJP-led NDA in the General Election was because of the poor alliances with the regional parties, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said here today.
Speaking to reporters after the Political Affairs Committee meeting of the party in the Capital, he said there was not much difference in the vote share. The Congress-led alliance came out with better alliance strategy, which enabled them to grab power after almost a decade.
Asked whether he had suggested to the NDA leaders about this, Mr Badal said, “We keep giving them our suggestions. It is for them to implement it.”
The Akali leader was, in particular, continuation of alliances with those NDA parties which parted during the course of the Vajpayee’s tenure. He was hinting the DMK in Tamil Nadu, the INLD in Haryana, the Lok Janshakti Party in Bihar and the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir.
Affirming his party’s faith in continuing with the NDA, Mr Badal said the Congress government at the Centre was unlikely to benefit the people of Punjab even though the same party rules the state.
The SAD leader said the return of the Congress at the Centre has rather sparked off the demand of change in the leadership at the state level with Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal demanding resignation of the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
Mr Badal said the long pending demands of the state on water, transfer of Chandigarh and other issues were unlikely to resolved till the time Congress continued in the office in Delhi.
Differences amongst the Congressmen have cropped up and the party would crumble, unable to withstand disgruntlement amongst its rank and file, he said.
The newly elected members of Parliament also attended the meet and they would all leave for the Golden Temple on Sunday to pay their obeisance.
Asked who would lead the party in the Lok Sabha, he said “What is the hurry now. We will elect one at an appropriate time.”
