SAD’s decision to quit NDA was a desperate case of political compulsion for the Badals: Capt Amarinder Singh

Reacting to the BJP-SAD break up, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has termed the Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD’s) decision to quit the NDA as nothing more than a desperate case of political compulsion for the Badals who were effectively left with no other option after the BJP’s public criticism of the SAD over the farm bills.

Capt. Singh said there was no moral high ground involved in this decision. The Akalis had no choice before them, since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had already made it clear that it held the SAD responsible for failing to convince farmers about the ‘goodness’ of the bills.

The SAD’s decision to quit the NDA was just the culmination of their saga of lies and deception, which eventually led to them being cornered on the issue of the bills, said the Chief Minister, adding that Sukhbir Singh Badal was virtually caught between the devil and the deep sea after his initial unprincipled stand on the farm ordinances, followed by the sudden U-turn in the face of farmer protests.

The Chief Minister said with the BJP-led ruling coalition at the Centre exposing the SAD’s web of lies, fabrications and double-speak, the Akalis could not have done anything except leave the NDA. But far from helping them save face, which they probably hoped to do, the Akalis would now find themselves in a bigger political mess, having been left with no place either in Punjab or at the Centre, he added.

Capt. Singh said if Sukhbir Badal, Harsimrat Badal and other SAD leaders had any shame left in them, they should admit to their deceitful actions as to the role they played in the Union Government and should beg farmers for forgiveness.