Akalis, BJP bicker over berths

Barely a week after winning the elections in Punjab, it appears that cracks have already developed in the ruling alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP.

Barely a week after winning the elections in Punjab, it appears that cracks have already developed in the ruling alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP. The issue: the distribution of cabinet portfolios. Five days after 17 ministers were administered the oath of office by the Punjab Governor, the announcement of cabinet portfolios by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is still awaited.

Sources in the BJP said the party is keen on getting certain portfolios linked to urban areas. But, the Akalis are reluctant to let go of these as well.

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This evening, state BJP president Avinash Rai Khanna and minister Manoranjan Kalia met Badal to discuss the issue. Senior BJP leaders at New Delhi have also been apprised of the matter but the BJP high command has let the state unit of the BJP do most of the talking on the matter.

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“The BJP has expressed its desire to be given charge of departments like education, health, excise and taxation, transport for its ministers. But the SAD wants them, too,” said a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity.

Sources said the reason the BJP is staking claim to portfolios that have a bearing on urban areas is because it did very well in urban areas in the recent Assembly elections. The BJP won 19 out of the 23 seats it contested in the polls. The party feels it is in a position to make demands and it does not want to let go of this opportunity. “The allotment of portfolios is important for the BJP. The BJP can only deliver on the promises it has made to the voters is it gets some of the important portfolios,” said a leader.