Union Minister Shah said Punjab elections would be fought on the merits, development talks and farmers stir won't be an issue as PM Modi agreed to demand of repealing of three farm laws.
New Delhi: The BJP is open to having an electoral alliance with either Amarinder Singh's newly floated party or the outfit led by S S Dhindsa, Home Minister Amit Shah, said here on Saturday (December 4). In the context of ensuing UP polls, he said so-called alliances made based on a vote bank calculation will not make much difference.
"We are talking to both the parties… And the talks are on in a very constructive structure. We could have an alliance with either of them," Mr Shah said while participating at The Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. He said the Punjab elections would be fought on the merits and development talks plank.
"I don't think farmers' stir is still a big issue there…. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown his big heart by agreeing to the demand and announced repealing of the three farm laws," he said.
Besides the state's ruling Congress, which suffered an organisational split with Captain Amarinder Singh walking out, the AAP is also an important player in Punjab politics.
Notably, during the interaction, Mr Shah avoided reference to the Akali Dal led by Badals, who parted ways from BJP in 2020 when the farm laws were passed. To a question from Hindustan Times Editorial Director, — Shobhana Bhartia, the BJP's chief election strategist, Mr Shah said politics is more of a chemistry and not mere physics. "So called calculating something just by plus and minus based on two or more parties coming together does not make much difference," he said in the context of new permutation and combination being worked out by various opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh. "When two chemicals mix, you get a third resultant," the Home Minister said.
He said earlier that parties came together and formed a pre-poll alliance, but nothing much changed on the ground in Uttar Pradesh. In fact, since 2014, the BJP has been doing well in UP elections, returned to power in 2017 and won most seats in two Lok Sabha polls. He said people have become more aware now, and a simple vote-based alliance will no longer work. UP polls along with Punjab and three other states are due by February-March next year.
On the Covid situation and India's continuous battle against it, the Home Minister said, "All those who made fun of lighting Diyas, ringing bells and wearing masks are silent today. Across the world, the governments did fight the battle against the pandemic, but in India along with centre and state governments, 130 crore Indians also fought the battle."
