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Akali Dal exits NDA over farm bill. What it means for the national politics
The BJP-Akali Dal alliance worked well for several decades, however, given the expansionist mode that the BJP is in strains began to develop. (PTI Photo)
- Fact is that the relationship between the two allies has been strained for a while now
- The unwritten understanding between the two allies had been that the BJP would play second fiddle to the Akalis in Punjab
- In choosing to sever their links with BJP on a popular issue like farmer's distress, Akali Dal is hoping to regain some of its lost ground in Punjab
There was a certain inevitability to the parting of ways between the Akali Dal and the BJP. Ostensibly the reason was the Modi government's decision to push through the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill in the recently concluded session of parliament. Fact is that the relationship between the two allies has been strained for a while now, with the BJP trying to make inroads into Punjab, something that the Akali's have been a extremely uneasy about.
The unwritten understanding between the two allies had been that the BJP would play second fiddle to the Akalis in Punjab in return for support at the Centre. This was the understanding arrived at by the stalwarts on both sides, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani from the BJP and Parkash Singh Badal of the Akali Dal. The alliance worked well for several decades, however, given the expansionist mode that the BJP is in under the Modi-Shah duo the strains began to develop. The BJP believes the time has come for it to capitalise on the popularity of the PM and expand its footprint across the country, including Punjab.
The Akali's sensing the BJP expansionist plans also began asserting themselves. The Akali's too began to assert themselves and though they continued to support the government, the support was no longer unconditional. The change was evident during the debate on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act. The Akali's voted for the Bill but not without making a vigorous plea to amend the bill and insert a provision, which clearly states that religion would not be a criteria for denying citizenship to anybody.
Given the strains, the Akali's were quick to seize on the opportunity provided by the government's decision to push through the bill overriding the objection and concerns of the Akali's and the farming community. The Bill is being vehemently opposed by a large section of farmers in Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country. The support base of the Akali's comprises of Jat Sikhs hailing from the farming community. It hurts the very roots of the Akali support base. In choosing to sever their links with the BJP on a popular issue like the farmers distress, the Akali Dal is hoping to regain some of its lost ground in Punjab.
The main impact of the rupture in the relationship between two of the oldest allies will be felt in Punjab. Two years from now when the state goes to polls, the BJP will find itself without a powerful ally in the state, it will also help the Akali's take up the cause of the farmers aggressively, without the constraints of coalition politics. The BJP believes that it stands to gain in the state in the long run as this will provide it with an opportunity to emerge out of the shadow of its ally and grow on its own. The Akali Dal has a totally different view of development, and it believes that the BJP stands to lose big time on account of the break up.
The main impact of the break up
Of the Akali-BJP alliance will be to the perception of the BJP as a accommodative and reliable ally at the Centre. It will reinforce the perception that the core of the NDA coalition is now becoming more powerful than the coalition itself. This could make regional parties wary of tying up with the party out of fear of being squeezed out by an expansionist BJP.