Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has indicated that his party could consider returning to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.
Speaking after meeting Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Badal identified the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress as the SAD’s principal political opponents in the state. Without directly naming the BJP, he said the Akali Dal was prepared to work with parties that shared its views for the betterment of Punjab.
Speculation about a renewed SAD-BJP partnership has intensified in recent months. Badal had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi in August to discuss the situation in Punjab, adding to expectations that the two former allies could come together again.
Why the SAD-BJP alliance ended
The BJP and the Akali Dal had remained allies for several years before their coalition broke down in September 2020 over differences concerning the Centre’s three farm laws. The laws were subsequently repealed following a large-scale farmers’ agitation, but the SAD did not return to the NDA.
The parties contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections separately and recorded poor results. The BJP won only two seats, while the Akali Dal registered its worst-ever electoral performance with victories in just three constituencies.
There was speculation that the two parties might jointly fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, they again contested independently. The SAD won one seat, Bathinda, while the BJP failed to win any constituency in Punjab.
Badal raises demands over activist’s killing
Badal’s meeting with Governor Kataria also focused on the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. The former Punjab deputy chief minister said he submitted four demands, including the removal of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and action against ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats allegedly patronising the drug trade.
Among the other demands was a Class-I government job for Jhota’s widow, Bibi Manpreet Kaur, along with compensation of Rs 2 crore on humanitarian grounds. Badal clarified that the family and the action committee had not sought the compensation.
He also called for expanding the Central Bureau of Investigation probe to include the cases of Gulzar Singh of Toor Banjara in Dirba and Bikramjit Singh of Sri Hargobindpur Sahib. Gulzar Singh had named Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema in his dying declaration, while Bikramjit Singh was hacked to death for opposing the drug trade.
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