Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday denied any friction between his party SAD and ally BJP, saying there is "hardly any issue of confrontation" between the partners and that severing of ties can pose a "danger" to the peace in the state.
"The BJP's national leadership will never severe ties with SAD, their oldest ally," the 86-year-old five-time Chief Minister told reporters here on the sidelines of a sports tournament held on the occasion of birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji.
At the event, Badal was asked several questions about reports of friction between the allies. When asked about recent statements made by BJP leaders including Navjot Singh Sidhu that SAD had violated the coalition dharma by tying up with INLD in Haryana, where BJP was contesting on its own, Badal said, "There is hardly any issue of confrontation between both the parties as the alliance partners have an inbuilt mechanism of solving all the issues amicably."
He, however, said if BJP breaks the alliance, Punjab's peace will be in danger. "There will be a danger to the peace in Punjab if BJP breaks this alliance. Our relationship with BJP is 30 years old. This is a true relationship and BJP should understand this," he said.
"The alliance is in the interest of nation as well as Punjab," he added. Badal claimed that he had met BJP President Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jailtely and they both are advocating and supporting SAD-BJP alliance and said he failed to understand why some BJP leaders were against this alliance.
He said the partnership of SAD-BJP is a "holy alliance" that has always worked for peace and communal harmony in the country, especially the state, and is a "rare example of communal harmony in the country."
Meanwhile, when questioned about the issue, Punjab BJP President Kamal Sharma told reporters in Amritsar that SAD's decision to tie-up with INLD for the Haryana polls to take on BJP had "created bitterness" between the allies.
"We accept that SAD's decision to campaign for INLD in Haryana created some bitterness," Sharma said. He, however, added, "Our relations are old and we will sort out things."
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