'Treat us like Atal Bihari Vajpayee did' - BJP allies to ruling party ahead of Budget Session

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Delhi: BJP's allies have reportedly told the ruling party at the Centre not to take them for granted, as per a media report.

They have also told the saffron party to treat them like former PM and one of BJP's tallest leaders treated them.

NDTV quoted BJP's ally Akali Dal as saying, "Don't take us for granted."

The report also said that ahead of the Budget Session, SAD chief and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal supposedly told BJP president Amit Shah - "The allies in the NDA are being taken from granted. The BJP needs to listen to it's allies like (former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee did as the head of the NDA."

"Neither Muslims nor Christians are with the BJP. Why is the party now trying to alienate the Sikhs who have supported the BJP," he further said as per the report.

On the other hand, the website quoted sources and said that Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut had this to say - "The BJP's approach over the last 20 months has been to undermine it's allies."

And TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ​reportedly advised the BJP to strengthen it's allies.

Meanwhile, PTI reported today that after concerns were raised over "lack of coordination" in NDA, Shah today met Shiromani Akali Dal leaders at his residence and discussed with them the joint strategy for the Punjab polls slated early next year.

Sukhbir Badal later trashed talks of strains between the two parties, calling the alliance "permanent" and claiming there were "no differences" between them.

Badal, who reportedly had raised the issue of coordination at NDA's meeting yesterday, met Shah along with senior Akali leaders Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Naresh Gujral and spent over an hour with him.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was also present during the dinner meeting where the leaders of the two parties discussed the strategy for the state assembly polls.

"The Akali Dal and BJP are like one party and would not just contest the next election together but also elections in next 20 years.

"We discussed with the BJP chief the strategy on how to win the next election and would soon form a core committee to work on it and help improve coordination between the alliance partners," Badal told reporters after the meeting.

In yesterday's NDA meeting, it was decided that party to party issues will be discussed bilaterally and there would be frequent interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on developmental matters, as per reports.

NDA MPs would also be briefed periodically about various important initiatives, central schemes and assistance extended to states.

Today's meeting was part of an exercise to sort out issues among various NDA allies.

Earlier in the day, Shah met Chandrababu Naidu and would be meeting leaders of other NDA constituents in the coming days.

BJP has termed the meetings as "routine" that will help in improved coordination between NDA partners for better floor management to counter the opposition effectively within Parliament and outside. 

(With Agency inputs)