SAD tests political waters in Haryana
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), may have parted ways with its longtime ally Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana earlier this year, but now it wants to test its strength in the state. SAD will have to go it alone in the Haryana assembly elections next year.
SAD always contested polls in Haryana with support of it s former ally the INLD, but now that the two parties have parted ways, SAD wants to develop its own base in Haryana to be able to make an impact.
The INLD on the other hand has already made an alliance with the BSP and has announced that it contest both the Parliamentary as well the Assembly polls in Haryana together. This leaves SAD to tread its own path. SAD therefore decided to test the waters in Haryana by holding a rally in Pipli, Kurukshetra district today.
Senior SAD leaders, including party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia and Haryana in-charge Balwinder Singh Bhunder, addressed the rally organised at Pipli grain market, with an eye on the Sikh vote bank in Kurukshetra and its neighbouring districts.
SAD leaders have claimed that the rally will prove to be a turning point in Haryana’s politics and pave the way for the SAD to contest elections on its own in the coming assembly elections in the state.
But Haryana State Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (HSGPC-ad hoc) leaders have opposed the rally. HSGPC (ad hoc) president Jagdish Jhinda had announced to hold a parallel rally at the same venue but he did not get the permission for doing so. Jhinda too wants to contest assembly elections.
Earlier Jhinda, who formed a Janta Akali Dal and announced to contest the elections in Haryana, said that the SAD is the biggest hurdle in the formation of HSGPC as it backed the SGPC which was against the demand of thousands of Haryanvi Sikhs for a separate Gurdwara body in Haryana. SAD does not have any right to hold a rally in the state,’’ said Jhinda.