There will be desertions in UPA: Sukhbir Singh Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a key ally of the NDA, today claimed that there was a "growing frustration" among UPA's allies and as the Lok Sabha polls approach, there would be desertions.
"As we get closer to the polls, you will see desertions in the UPA. It's (UPA) a sinking ship and the frustration level among their (Congress') alliance parties is increasing," Punjab deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said while talking about the meeting of several regional parties including Left, JD(U), AIADMK, BJD and UPA ally NCP in New Delhi today.
"They (the allies) don't want to be part of the alliance because of the reputation which the Congress government has attained in terms of corruption, scams, scandals and inflation. They want to get out of it as soon as possible so that the blame doesn't come on them. So, you will see desertions in a big way," Badal elaborated.

The SAD chief, however, ruled out the possibility of the emergence of a Third Front before the elections.
"There is going to be no Third Front. You see way the things are going, it is a tidal wave for Narendra Modi. There is a huge shift towards BJP in the last couple of months," he claimed.
He said that it was good that the BJP has declared their Prime Ministerial candidate early because it would help people to decide and make up their mind when they vote.

"... It's good that people of the country know who is their prime ministerial candidate. I was the first person to request the NDA that they should announce their prime ministerial candidate.

"People should know whom they are voting for. There is frustration among youth, poor and weaker sections, business class and other sections of the society. In Modi, they feel a sense of relief," Badal said.
"Wherever Modi is holding rallies, he is drawing huge crowd... Even in a state like Tamil Nadu, where BJP does not have much presence, he is attracting huge crowd," Sukhbir, who was flanked by father Parkash Singh Badal at the press conference here in which senior Punjab Congress leader Avtar Singh Brar joined the SAD, said.