The main opposition party in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, on Monday said the BJP would get 22 seats in the upcoming assembly elections.
"The talks are still on with BJP with regard to only Garhshankar (Hoshiarpur) seat. We are trying to convince the senior BJP leaders to leave this seat for SAD (B) as Akalis have a stronghold," Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, MP and general secretary of SAD (B) said.
SAD (B) had already released the first list of its 62 candidates on Saturday. It would announce its second list within a week, he said.
Reacting to a query on allotting the tickets to rebel Congress leaders who joined SAD (B) recently, Dhindsa said that they had joined the party unconditionally.
"The party would allot tickets only to those new entrants who are capable of winning," he asserted.
Dhindsa further said that the merger of SAD (Longowal) led by Prem Singh Chandumajra with SAD (B) was expected to take place soon. "We will hold a meeting with Chandumajra on Monday in order to resolve the issue regarding the allotment of tickets to SAD (Longowal)," he said.
