The Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday said it is still in talks with the BJP over seat-sharing for the October 21 assembly elections in Haryana. SAD's general secretary in-charge for Haryana polls Balwinder Singh Bhunder made the remark after holding a party meeting on Monday in Kurukshetra, where the aspirants of party tickets from over 30 seats in the state turned up along with their 4,000-odd supporters.

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SAD on seat-sharing

Asked to comment on reports that BJP was inclined to leave only two seats for the SAD, Bhunder said:

"We have learnt about this only through the media. But as far as I know, no final decision has been taken by the BJP. Currently, we are still in talks with them on seat sharing issue."

Bhunder did not specify the number of seats which the SAD wants BJP to leave for them for the October 21 polls. A few days back, Bhunder had said if negotiations on seat sharing with the ruling BJP in Haryana fail to bear fruit, the party would contest the next month's Vidhan Sabha elections on its own. At the Kurukshetra meeting, SAD interviewed some of the candidates interested in contesting elections that included some women candidates too, Bhunder said.

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The screening committee headed by Akali leader Bhunder had been recently formed for this purpose. All aspirants interested in contesting the elections had earlier been asked to submit their applications by September 22. A committee headed by Bhunder has been tasked to hold negotiations with the Bharatiya Janata Party on seat sharing for the Haryana polls. The other members of the committee for the Haryana poll campaign are Prem Singh Chandumajra and Surjit Singh Rakhra.

The Committee will also prepare the party's election campaign strategy. BJP leaders from Haryana say any decision on seat sharing in Haryana will be taken by the party's central leadership. The ruling BJP has set a target of winning 75 plus seats in the 90-member state assembly. The BJP had come to power in Haryana in 2014 for the first time while contesting on its own strength.

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BJP confident about winning in Haryana

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said the Opposition is "divided" in the state and exuded confidence that the BJP will win over 75 of the total 90 seats in the next month's assembly polls. Assembly elections in Haryana will be held on October 21, and the counting of votes in the state will be taken up on October 24, according to the Election Commission.

"The BJP is strong on all the 90 assembly seats in the state. Opposition political parties are divided and a stampede is taking place in these parties.We will cross the 75 plus seats in the state assembly, I am confident about it," Khattar told media.

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The BJP's state unit has completed all preparations for the assembly polls, he said, adding that tickets will be allocated to those who follow the party's ideology and have a "clean image". On the occasion, Congress leader Dura Ram and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) stalwart Ram Pal Majra joined the BJP. Also present during the joining of these leaders was state BJP chief Subash Barala. Both Ram and Majra had remained MLAs of their parties when these were in power. Khattar and Barala welcomed the leaders to the party fold and claimed that it will further strengthen the BJP in the state.