SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today said his party's alliance with Om Prakash 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 in Amritsar.
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, Mr Badal said.
INLD is contesting 88 of the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, while SAD has fielded its candidates in Ambala city and Kalanwali constituencies.
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.