Why BJP getting insecure over Badal campaigning for INLD in Haryana?

BJP leaders might be eyeing a historic win in the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana but here is a dampener for the party cadre. BJP's rival INLD has declared Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a key NDA ally, chief and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as party's star campaigner in the 90-member Assembly polls. This hasn't gone down well with the BJP leadership in the state which is hoping to get more than 60 seats in Haryana on its own.

BJP leaders have already expressed their displeasure over the same and are hoping the central leadership takes up the matter seriously.

"We have told our central leadership to resolve the issue. We want that Badal should be stopped from campaigning for the INLD and he should not come (to Haryana to seek votes for INLD)," Haryana BJP's legislature party leader and Ambala MLA, Anil Vij told PTI over phone.

Vij further said,"we have put our point before our central leaders and now it is up to them to resolve the matter".

It is common practise in Indian politics

Although the bonhomie between SAD and INLD might have made the local BJP leaders jittery but it is nothing new to Indian politics. It is often seen that friends at Centre are foes at state politics and vice-versa. Parties, irrespective of their alliances, in the past have maintained friendships by campaigning for the rival parties of their alliance partners.

Parkash Badal to be INLD's star campaigner in Haryana polls

Even during the Lok Sabha polls, Punjab CM had campaigned heavily in favour of Dushyant Chautala, grandson of INLD president Om Prakash Chautala and former CM of the state. Badal senior's presence helped Dushyant beat BJP's ally and HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi in the latter's bastion in Hissar. This eventually proved out to be one of the reasons for Kuldeep Bishnoi splitting three-year-old alliance with the BJP.

Not only SAD, there have been instances in the past JD(U), when it was an NDA ally in Bihar and at Centre, had fielded candidates against the BJP in Gujarat assembly polls. Even Shiv Sena, outside Maharashtra contests against its partner BJP in centre and state polls.

Also, SAD is an ally of INLD in Haryana assembly polls and will contest from two seats, including the prestigious Ambala seat. Hence, it is not at all surprising, but shocking is the reaction of BJP cadre in Haryana.

Why is Haryana BJP worried?

Parkash Singh Badal enjoys a massive popularity in Haryana and his presence will naturally make a difference for whichever candidate he campaigns for. Also, their are more than 65 lakh Sikh voters in the state. Seems, the BJP leadership in the state was hoping to bag all the Sikh votes in its favour. But, now that the Punjab CM will be rival INLD's star campaigner certainly the potential Sikh voters will be deflected towards the same.

Also, presence of a CM in any rally means a lot for the candidate in assembly polls and the BJP leaders fear it would work in INLD's favour. The party feels that it will dampen its 'Mission 60' in the upcoming assembly polls in the state.

BJP should focus on its strengths

As the assembly elections are just over a month away in the crucial state of Haryana, the BJP must focus on its strength and campaign heavily. The party has galaxy of stars when in comes to campaigning. Several big leaders like Amit Shah, Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Anurag Thakur and even party's poster boy Prime Minister Narendra Modi would arrive in the state to campaign for its candidates.

Hence, instead of getting worried the party must focus on its door to door campaigning.