Sukhbir Badal said “I am not ruling out an alliance with like-minded parties, but we cannot go with AAP and Congress.”
Possibility of alliance between two old-partners Akali Dal and BJP in Punjab is still there in view of recent statements by leaders of both the parties. Actually, Akali Dal and BJP leaders in their recent statements have not ruled out the possibility of alliance between the two parties in Punjab for the coming Lok Sabha polls. Both Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal and Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar did not rule out the possibility of the alliance.
Responding to media queries, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal recently stated neither he nor BJP are aware of any such alliance; these are mere speculations. Badal added that “We are keen on contesting all 13 seats (in Punjab), but I am not ruling out an alliance with like-minded parties, but we cannot go with AAP and Congress.”
This statement came when there were speculations of SAD returning to NDA after TDP. In the same way, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar also made a statement in a programme organised by SAD in Badal village to mark the first anniversary of late CM Prakash Singh Badal. Jakhar stated, “Parkash Singh Badal’s alliance between the SAD and the BJP was not merely a political manoeuvre but aimed to mend a state shattered by terrorism and prevent Punjab from plunging back into the darkness of militancy.”
However he preferred to remain mum about possible alliance for the coming LS polls. Speaking with The Sunday Guardian, an Akali leader Paramjit Sarna said, “Our talks have not stopped with the BJP but we have put in two prominent demands in front of them: the first is to find a solution to the farmers’ protest, and the second is to release Sikh prisoners who have served their sentences.” Sarna added that SAD is ready to give BJP three seats, which it won in 2019, but they are demanding six seats.
However, a party source said the BJP is demanding Patiala and Anadpur Sahib in addition to Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Hoshiarpur. While SAD is ready to leave Patiala for Preneet Kaur, wife of former CM Amarinder Singh, who joined BJP on Thursday, However, on other demanded seats, a common understanding has not been reached yet. Also, talks between the SAD and BJP are still ongoing, and once they reach at any concrete decision, they may announce the alliance. Preneet Kaur, while joining the BJP, also advocated for a SAD-BJP alliance and said that the coming of both parties together will be beneficial for Punjab.
The SAD broke the alliance with the BJP and withdrew from the NDA in September 2020 due to the controversial farm laws introduced by the central government. Subsequently, the laws were repealed following widespread protests by farmers. Despite that, it has supported the NDA in various instances, including the ‘one nation, one election’ and CAA issues.
The ruling AAP, on the other hand, has released its first list of eight candidates out of thirteen for Punjab. Unlike Delhi, both Congress and AAP are contesting in Punjab alone. AAP has fielded five ministers. Among the ministers who have been given tickets for Lok Sabha are Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Amritsar, Laljit Singh Bhullar from Khadoor Sahib, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Sangrur, and Dr. Balbir Singh from Patiala. Apart from these, the current MP from Jalandhar, Sushil Kumar Rinku, has been nominated as a candidate. Gurmeet Singh Khudian from Bathinda, Gurpreet Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib, and Karamjit Anmol from Faridkot have also been given tickets.