Despite having an alliance with the BJP in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will campaign for Om Parkash Chautala led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) nominees in Haryana for the October 13 election to the 90 member state assembly.
"Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD President and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will actively campaign in Haryana for the candidates if INLD-SAD combine," party Secretary Daljit Singh Cheema said in Chandigarh on Monday.
Cheema had earlier said that the party had decided to contest from two constituencies in Haryana keeping in view the sentiments of the local party cadre. Charanjit Kaur and Charanjit Singh would contest from Ambala City and Kalanwali in Sirsa district respectively.
The party has favoured the Om Parkash Chautala led INLD over party's alliance partner BJP in Punjab for the next month's elections to the 90-member Haryana assembly poll.
Asked about SAD putting up candidates against BJP - its alliance partner in Punjab and at the Centre - Cheema said the decision was taken keeping in mind the view of the party's cadre in Haryana which favoured a tie up with INLD.
"The alliance with BJP continues as ever in Punjab and at the Centre," Cheema said adding that even during the recent Rajasthan Assembly elections the SAD and BJP had put up candidates against each other after taking into consideration the situation at the state level.
Besides, all Ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, MPs, MLAs, Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations,District Presidents, Members of the SGPC, senior office bearers of the party and youth leaders have been assigned duties in various parts of Ambala City and Kalanwali assembly constituencies where the SAD has put up candidates.
Cheema said that leaders from Patiala, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar, Mohali, Nawan Shahar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar and Ludhiana will campaign in Ambala city. The leaders from Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Moga, Faridkot, Amritsar and Tarn Taran will campaign in Kalanwali assembly constituency; Cheema said.
He said that these leaders have been asked to report at their place of responsibility by September 29 positively. PTI
