Amid talk of a possible alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia said on Friday that people in Punjab want the two parties to come together again. He pointed to the state's border location and the need to protect social harmony as reasons behind this sentiment.
Majithia recalled the long political association between the SAD and BJP. He said the alliance was strengthened during the time of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and continued under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the two parties had a long history of working together and had shared a strong political relationship over the years.
The SAD and BJP ended their alliance in 2020 after the Akali Dal quit the BJP-led NDA over the Centre's farm laws. Majithia said the situation in Punjab has changed since then. He said the state's position along the international border, along with concerns about social unity and Punjab's social fabric, has made people want the two parties to reunite.
However, Majithia made it clear that there has been no final decision on the issue. He said any decision on a possible alliance would be taken by the top leadership of both parties.
He said Harsimrat Badal had already spoken about the views being expressed by people. Majithia added that the final outcome would depend on what the SAD and BJP leadership decide.
His comments come at a time when speculation about a possible political realignment in Punjab has picked up ahead of the Assembly elections. The possibility of the former allies joining hands again is being discussed across political circles.
The SAD and BJP had remained allies in Punjab for several decades. Together, they fought several Assembly and Lok Sabha elections before their relationship ended over the farm laws.
Majithia also attacked the Congress over its stand on Sajjan Kumar, whose funeral has become a political issue. He asked the Congress to make its position clear, saying that the presence of Congress leaders at Kumar's funeral would raise questions about the party's stand.
Majithia also questioned whether Punjab Congress leaders who do not consider Kumar a role model would attend his last rites. He asked whether these leaders would distance themselves from the funeral if they genuinely disagreed with the way Kumar was being portrayed.
Majithia's comments come as political parties in Punjab prepare for the next Assembly elections. Alliance possibilities, election strategies and key political issues are likely to become more prominent as the polls draw closer.
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