New Delhi (PTI): With an eye on general elections, BJP-led NDA has begun focussing on strengthening its weak base in Haryana by holding talks with the state's principal opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) for a possible tie-up.

A top NDA leader told PTI that BJP leadership has held a couple of rounds of informal talks with INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala for an alliance in the state for next year's Lok Sabha as well as the assembly elections due in 2010.

The leader has in fact acted as a mediator between Chautala and BJP leadership for discussing the possible alliance.

BJP has no negligible presence in Haryana as the state has always been dominated by Congress and INLD. "With BJP having its own and allied governments in neighbouring states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, it has been trying to woo INLD for an alliance in Haryana," the leader said.

In fact, a couple of weeks back Chautala was invited by BJP's Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu for a Punjabi film screening which was also attended by senior BJP leader L K Advani.

NDA sources said the talks on alliance were held informally during the occasion.

Chautala's sharing of platform with SAD and JD(U) chiefs Prakash Singh Badal and Sharad Yadav, both major constituents of NDA, at a rally recently gave further impetus to talks of alliance between BJP and INLD.