Alliance with INLD not to sour ties with BJP: Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said his party's alliance with Om Parkash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana for the assembly polls will not affect SAD's ties with BJP. "Akali Dal has a decades-old relation with INLD and will continue to support it," he said here.

BJP, on whose support SAD is heading the alliance government in Punjab, is well aware of this fact and understands the situation so it will not have any adverse effect on Akali-BJP relationship, he said.INLD is contesting 88 of the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, while SAD has fielded its candidates in Ambala city and Kalanwali seats. Despite resentment expressed by Haryana BJP leaders over senior Akali leaders canvassing for INLD contestants, SAD patron and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir have been campaigning for party nominees in Haryana.