BJP was let down in recent MC polls: Sidhu

Not happy over the way some SAD-supported independent candidates allegedly led to the defeat of the BJP candidates in the recently-concluded municipal corporation polls here, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu has said that the BJP was feeling let down and disappointed.

Not happy over the way some SAD-supported independent candidates allegedly led to the defeat of the BJP candidates in the recently-concluded municipal corporation polls here, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu has said that the BJP was feeling let down and disappointed.

PTALKING HT, Sidhu said, ?The BJP has always followed coalition dharma, but in recent elections, the way some of our party candidates were made to lose through a conspiracy was disappointing.?

Talking about the mayor issue, Sidhu said, "The 1997 pact will be strictly followed and the Amritsar mayor will be from the BJP. The stand of the party is crystal clear on this and there are no doubts."

He said the BJP had been rather magnanimous that though the Akalis had just one assembly constituency out of five in Amritsar, they contested on 27 seats in the MC polls.While addressing a meeting of BJP councillors and workers on Sunday evening, Sidhu said the BJP felt that its alliance partner used 'undemocratic' means to defeat some of the BJP candidates, which was unfortunate.

He said had the BJP adopted such means, its tally of 24 would have touched 30. But the BJP did not believe in this and stuck to its principles, said Sidhu. The MP said the party high command was aware of this.

He said the BJP had always followed the coalition dharma and the party felt that this needed to be reciprocated. The strong ties between the SAD-BJP needed to be carried on, he added.During the recent MC polls, the SAD and BJP were at loggerheads on some seats. In ward No 14 and 53, both had fielded separate candidates.

BJP state chief Ashwani Sharma, at a press conference, had asked SAD to expel some of its members who were contesting as independent against the BJP candidates. The next day, SAD had expelled three of five such independent candidates.

Congress wants re-poll

On Monday, the Congress also joined the issue, alleging that SAD had resorted to 'undemocratic' means to defeat the Congress candidates. District Congress Committee (urban) chief Jugal Kishore Sharma said, "As the BJP leaders are slamming their alliance partner, it becomes clear that the Congress was also suppressed. Our people were threatened. We want that the recent MC polls be cancelled and held again under the supervision of the Election Commission."