With the Punjab Assembly elections drawing closer, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. The meeting has once again triggered discussions about a possible alliance between the SAD and the BJP.
The interaction took place at Parliament House and lasted for around 20 minutes.
So far, neither party has released an official statement about the meeting. Leaders who accompanied Sukhbir described it as a courtesy meeting and did not reveal what was discussed.
The timing of the meeting has attracted attention as political parties in Punjab begin preparing for the next Assembly elections amid changing political dynamics. The SAD and BJP shared a political partnership for more than 20 years. Together, they formed governments in Punjab during three separate terms between 1997 and 2017.
Their long-standing alliance came to an end in September 2020 after disagreements over the Centre’s farm laws. Ties between the two parties weakened further during the farmers’ protest. While the SAD initially supported the farm legislation, it later opposed the laws and demanded their withdrawal. The party subsequently left the NDA, and both parties fought the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections separately, with neither performing well.
The latest meeting comes at a time when both organisations are facing challenges within their ranks. The Punjab BJP has witnessed differences among some senior leaders. A few veteran leaders have publicly expressed concerns over the functioning of the current state leadership.
The SAD is also dealing with internal issues. Some senior leaders have formed the SAD Punar Surjit faction, while Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, led by MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, has been expanding its presence, especially in rural areas.
According to a party source, the current political situation could create an opportunity for both parties to work together again. The source claimed that with divisions within the Congress and challenges faced by both the SAD and BJP, an alliance could improve their chances in the upcoming elections.
Although there has been no official confirmation of alliance discussions, the meeting between Sukhbir Badal and Prime Minister Modi has led to renewed speculation about a possible reunion of the former allies.
Publicly, however, both parties have continued to maintain that they will contest the Punjab Assembly elections independently.
During a visit to Punjab in June this year, BJP president Nitin Nabin stated that the party plans to contest all 117 Assembly seats in the state. Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon has also repeatedly said that the BJP is preparing to fight the election on its own across all constituencies.
Sukhbir Badal, too, has maintained that the Akali Dal is gearing up to contest all 117 seats in the state. Senior SAD leader and former minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal said it would be premature to draw conclusions from the meeting. He said the details of the discussion have not yet been shared and that the party president would brief the core committee if any important political issue was discussed.
At the same time, Grewal remarked that meetings between senior political leaders are rarely without purpose. He said issues concerning Punjab and the state's political situation may have figured in the conversation.
Reacting to the meeting, Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said the Prime Minister is accessible to leaders from across the political spectrum. He added that Sukhbir Badal, as a former deputy chief minister, had every right to meet the Prime Minister and likely discussed matters related to Punjab's welfare.
Dhillon reiterated that the Punjab BJP remains committed to contesting all 117 Assembly seats on its own. However, he noted that the party's central leadership would take the final call on any major political decisions. He also hinted that a significant political joining could take place soon.
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