Sikh votes: Akalis to help BJP ward off AAP threat

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 27

A meeting of the SAD’s top leadership, ministers and senior leaders is scheduled to be held in Delhi tomorrow to thresh out the strategy to ensure its four candidates win in the February 7 Assembly elections in the Capital.

Besides chalking out the strategy for the four seats where it has fielded its own candidates, the party leadership will also focus on other seats in Delhi where Punjabi votes can play a crucial role.

Sources said the BJP leadership, which sees Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as its main rival, rather than the Congress, had sought the Akali Dal’s help in influencing the Sikh votes in favour of the alliance.

All Akali ministers and leaders are going to be told to visit these constituencies in the next two days and come out with problems and issues confronted by the voters.

The party is expected to give a final shape to its election strategy by the weekend.

The party has started approaching the voters in the four seats it is contesting and highlighting the good governance that the National Democratic Alliance can offer.

The SAD is contesting on four seats – the same as during the last Assembly elections in the capital.

While the party is fielding three of its candidates on the BJP symbol, it will contest one seat – Rajouri Garden — on its own.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa will contest on the SAD symbol from the Rajouri Garden constituency, while Harmeet Singh Kalka (Kalkaji seat), Jitender Pal Singh Shanty (Shahdara) and Avtar Singh Hit (Harinagar) will contest the election on the BJP symbol.

“This time, all parties have fielded some Sikh candidates. So, we will have to address more issues and promise to address concerns of voters rather than hoping that the voters will support a Sikh party,” said a senior leader, involved in micro-planning for the elections.