The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre, has decided not to contest Delhi Assembly Election 2020 amid differences with the saffron party over seat-sharing and its stand on the citizenship law and NRC.
Addressing a press conference, Manjinder Singh Sirsa of SAD today said the Akali Dal believes NRC should not be implemented. "We have never demanded that any one religion be excluded from this act. SAD and BJP have an old relationship but after stand by Sukhbir Badal ji on CAA which was to include people from all the religions, BJP leadership wanted us to reconsider this stand. So, we decided to not fight these polls instead of changing our stand," Sirsa added.
The ties between BJP and SAD strained as the saffron party wanted the Akali Dal candidates to contest under its symbol - the lotus. The parties used the same strategy in 2015 Delhi election when two of four candidates contested under BJP symbol. However, none of the four managed to win their seats.
