NEW DELHI: Amid speculation over a possible alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Punjab assembly polls, Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the party had entrusted its president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, with the responsibility of forging an alliance with any party in the interest of the state.Speaking to reporters, Cheema said the final decision on an alliance would be taken by Badal.“We have entrusted the party president with the responsibility of forming an alliance with any party for the welfare of Punjab,” the veteran leader said.“The final decision will be taken by Sukhbir Singh Badal,” he added.This comes days after TOI reported that an alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP was on the cards.According to the report, the BJP is likely to contest a substantially higher number of seats than it did under its earlier seat-sharing arrangement with the regional outfit.BJP sources said the alliance would be announced at an opportune time. The party has been making determined efforts to expand its presence in Punjab, with an aggressive campaign against drug addiction and opposition to conversions by missionaries as its key planks.
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It has also inducted members of other parties.The BJP used to contest 23 of the 117 seats in the Punjab assembly as an SAD ally before the Akalis ended their ties in 2020 over their opposition to the farm laws, which were subsequently repealed.The BJP is also expected to include the breakaway Akali faction, SAD (Punar Surjit), in the alliance.The BJP’s vote share in Punjab in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, at over 18%, was higher than the SAD’s over 13%. Once a formidable regional player, the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led party has seen its fortunes decline as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) surged to power in the 2022 assembly polls.The BJP is hopeful that a consolidation of votes in favour of the alliance could make it a strong contender for power in Punjab’s fragmented political arena, where the Congress is the principal opposition party.
