Akali Dal, BJP in talks to join hands for Lok Sabha polls

As the BJP is seeking allies around the country to strike a hat-trick by winning the 2024 general elections, the saffron camp is in talks for an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which is a state party in Punjab. Sources suggest that the alliance would boost both the parties electorally in the state.
A party insider said, “There are talks going on between both the parties and both the parties may have agreed to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections together. Both the parties may have found the need to come together. For instance, SAD would not get consequential votes as the electorate knows the party won’t come to power at the Centre. At the same time, BJP knows that it doesn’t have that strength on the ground where it can win seats on its own owing to strong presence of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party in the state. So, coming together with SAD will amplify their vote share, helping both the parties benefit from each other.”
Moreover, the BJP is seeking a bigger space in the state if it comes into an alliance with SAD. There are indications that the saffron camp would take at least 6 seats for itself in case they stitch up an alliance with the Punjab-based party. Although party leaders are tight-lipped about any developments regarding the alliance in the state, a BJP insider seeking anonymity said that the party does not want to be in an alliance with SAD like it was last time.
The insider said, “The party (BJP) is seeking a bigger space if the alliance happens. And for sure we will play a big brother role if the alliance comes into existence. BJP would also try to win more Lok Sabha seats than it won the last time in the state.”
Last time (in 2019), the Narendra Modi wave had helped the saffron camp put up a good show in Punjab, where it was struggling to find strong candidates, as the party won two of the three seats it contested in alliance with its partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). However, SAD had contested on 10 seats out of 13 and won just 2.
A political analyst in the state said, “The Akali Dal is fighting to survive and without the support of BJP this time, it will be difficult, though it will have considerable vote share because the party has committed Panthic voters, plus the death of Parkash Singh Badal will also perk up a sympathy wave for the party. Now, if both the parties come in alliance, it will benefit both of them. They will be strong on around half a dozen seats. There is also quite a support being seen for BJP as there are 40% Hindus in the state. BJP would want to take a big chunk of it and would also try to sway the Hindu voters who have been transitionally voting for the Congress.”