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by IANS |
Chandigarh, Oct 13 (IANS) The war of words between two political allies -- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) -- intensified on Sunday ahead of the October 21 Haryana Assembly polls with both accusing each other of betrayal.
SAD President Sukhbir Badal, whose party is an ally of the saffron party in Punjab and Delhi, told the media during campaigning in Haryana that "those who are in power, will be in Opposition soon."
He was indirectly hitting at the BJP government in Haryana led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Giving it back to Sukhbir Badal, Khattar said at an election meeting, "The Akali Dal had come to us for a pre-poll alliance. But when we told them to give us our shared water from SYL (Sutlej Yamuna Link), they backtracked.
"Had they agreed to share water, we would have given them two-three Assembly seats as a goodwill gesture."
The relations between the state's ruling BJP and the SAD were strained when the latter's lone legislator Balkaur Singh switched over to the saffron party. He is now contesting as the BJP candidate from Kalanwali.
The SAD had extended unconditional support to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in the state and its leadership had said that they would contest the Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP.
The SAD is now contesting the Assembly elections with its previous alliance partner, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), on three out of 90 seats -- Kalanwali, Ratia and Gulla Cheeka.
While Rajinder Singh Desujodha, a BJP turncoat, is the party's candidate from Kalanwali, Kulwinder Singh Kunal is contesting from Ratia and Raj Kumar Ravarjagir from Gulla Cheeka.
The 90-member Haryana Assembly will go to the polls on October 21 while the results will be declared on October 24.
