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Akali Dal , BJP to re-negotiate seats for polls

Staff Correspondent

Alliance to continue for Assembly polls in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP, while continuing with their alliance for the third consecutive term, have initiated the process to re-negotiate the seats on which both parties would field their respective candidates in the forthcoming elections to the 117 member Punjab Assembly.

Disclosing this the national Secretary of the BJP, Harjeet Singh Grewal, while talking to reporters here on Sunday afternoon, said that the next meeting of the co-ordination committee formed by both parties is scheduled for August 8. However, it may take a couple of more meetings to settle the matter to the satisfaction of both parties.

Referring to statements by the Akali Dal President, Parkash Singh Badal, who was quoted as to have accepted that the BJP may get some more seats in the Malwa region, Mr. Grewal said that his party was also open to re-negotiate some of the seats like Amritsar (West), Dasuya and Ludhiana (North) where BJP fielded its candidates on the previous two occasions. He indicated that the exact position of each party's claims would become clear after the co-ordination committee deliberated over the results of the respective surveys by each alliance partner, which according him were being conducted presently.

Mr. Grewal, who was accompanied by the member of the national executive of the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha, Vineet Joshi, was hopeful that through the ongoing negotiations the BJP would be able to field candidates on at least 25 seats. In the previous assembly polls, in 1997 and 2002, when both parties contested as an alliance, the BJP had fielded candidates on 23 seats.

Regarding the selection of candidates, Mr. Grewal said that while both were important criteria, but under the prevailing circumstances, winnability of the claimant for the ticket may take priority over one's commitment to party programme and ideology. He also indicated that certain Ministers and MLAs from the Congress had sent emissaries and feelers to join the BJP.

Responding to questions, Mr Grewal said that the during the last four and half years, the party had identified its weaknesses, especially the apathy towards the urban constituency during its last tenure in power. He was satisfied at the functioning of the party at the grassroots level, in winning over the confidence of the people. As regards the ongoing organisational elections, Mr. Grewal was hopeful that the process would be completed by middle of September.

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Akali Dal , BJP to re-negotiate seats for polls

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