The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) seems to have a change of heart with the recent announcements on the Deputy Chief Minister’s post. The party had denied the post to the BJP, its former ally for two decades, but has now announced one for the Dalit community and another for the Hindu community.

Madan Mohan Mittal, Ex-BJP Minister

Opportunistic move

This is opportunistic politics. In 2007, we demanded the post of the Deputy CM from the SAD, but it was denied. We argued the BJP as well as the Hindu voters needed representation, but the post was never given.

With this, the SAD aims to attract Dalits, which account for about 32 per cent, and Hindus, which are nearly 15 per cent. The party has clearly kept the post of Chief Minister for itself. As per the past tradition and the party’s base, a Jat-Sikh leader would hold the post if it comes to power in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party. Though the party has not made an official announcement, leaders said it was a foregone conclusion that party president Sukhbir Singh Badal would be the CM.

Daljeet Cheema, SAD Spokesman

Well thought out

It was not an overnight decision to have two Deputy Chief Ministers. In the party’s manifesto, we will have provisions for representation to minority communities like Muslims and Christians as well.

Ex-BJP Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said in alliance with the BJP, the Akalis did not think about the Hindu votes. “But after our ties ended, it first tried to woo the Dalits by announcing the Deputy CM post for them. When it did not create much impact, it tried to woo Hindus with the post. But voters can see through such caste-based politics.”

Akali Dal spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema defends the move. “It was not an overnight decision to have two Deputy Chief Ministers. We announced one for Dalits earlier and then after much deliberation, we announced the second post for a Hindu leader. In the party’s manifesto, we will have provisions for representation to minority communities like Muslims and Christians as well.”

He reasoned that earlier the BJP represented the Hindu community in alliance with the SAD. “But after our ties ended, it became our responsibility to give due space to the Hindus.”

The Akali Dal is the only party in Punjab to dangle the post of Deputy CM to voters of different communities. No other party in Punjab had these posts in the past or made fresh promises. The Congress does not have this post, but the BJP added a new dimension by questioning “why can’t there be a Mazhabi CM in Punjab?”