No alliance with SAD? BL Santosh says BJP to go solo in Punjab polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ruled out an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections, according to BL Santosh, the BJP's national general secretary (organisation). Santosh stated that the BJP is fully prepared for the polls and aims to form the government in Punjab. The BJP will contest all 117 assembly seats in Punjab and, if victorious, will assume power in the state, he added.

This stance follows speculation over a possible BJP-SAD alliance after SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Badal's brother, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, also hinted at the possibility of the Akali Dal joining forces with the BJP again, expressing hope for agreements that would bring progress to Punjab from New Delhi.

Former SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia echoed these sentiments, stating that people in Punjab want the Akali Dal to partner with the BJP for the upcoming polls. He cited Punjab's status as a border state and the need to protect social harmony as reasons for public sentiment favoring a reunion between the two parties. Majithia noted that the BJP and SAD have worked together before, during the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Modi.

The SAD had ended its ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September 2020 over the contentious farm laws, which were later repealed. Santosh began a two-day visit to Punjab to assess the party's organisational preparedness and coordination for the elections. His visit comes amidst internal dissent within the BJP's state unit over a recent leadership reshuffle, with some accusing the state leadership of sidelining older members.