Alliance on the cards? SAD backs Delimitation Bill day after Badal-PM Modi meet

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has expressed its support for the immediate implementation of the Constitution Amendment Bill, which includes provisions for women's reservation and fair delimitation. This stance was taken after a meeting between SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a post on X, Badal highlighted the party's inspiration from Sikh Gurus, who emphasized women's dignity, equality, and rights. The SAD, during its senior leaders' meeting in Chandigarh, stressed the urgent need for the Women's Reservation Bill implementation and advocated for a fair delimitation that ensures equal representation for all states.

The party also demanded a 50 percent increase in the number of seats for all states. The SAD further emphasized that these measures should be implemented immediately. This development comes amid speculation that the meeting could lead to a rekindling of relations between the SAD and the BJP ahead of the upcoming Punjab assembly elections.

Once a dominant political force in Punjab, the SAD left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in 2020 due to disagreements over the Centre's farm laws. Since then, both parties have been on the margins of state politics, with the Aam Aadmi Party emerging as the principal force. Despite the strained ties post the repeal of farm laws in 2021, the Aam Aadmi Party won a significant mandate in the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, defeating both the Congress and the SAD.