Eyes on 2027 state polls: SAD open to truck with BJP but with riders

Hindustan Times

03-07-2025

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), in its attempt to regain its lost political ground in Punjab, has indicated its willingness to stitch up an alliance with its old-time partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. In its maiden meeting chaired by Sukhbir, after re-election as president of SAD, the core committee, the party's top decision-making body, on Monday decided in favour of a re-alliance with BJP without compromising on Akali ideology. (HT File)
In September 2020, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a week after the party MP Harsimrat Badal resigned from the Narendra Modi cabinet in protest against (now repealed) three farm laws in solidarity with the peasantry, who were protesting on the Delhi borders.
In its maiden meeting chaired by Sukhbir, after re-election as president of SAD, the core committee, the party's top decision-making body, on Monday decided in favour of a re-alliance with BJP without compromising on Akali ideology.
During the discussion, the party seniors, who are part of the meeting, sought clarity on the party's stand on tie-ups with the rebels or with the saffron party in the future when Punjab enters the elections year in 2027.
Senior SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said that the party pondered on a long list of issues in the core committee and one of them was about the alliance with BJP.
'Leaders wanted to know the party's future course of action and the core committee took feedback from all those present at the meeting,' he added.
Last month, BJP's co-incharge for Punjab Narinder Singh Raina dismissed any talks of forming an alliance with the SAD for the 2027 polls.
According to senior BJP leaders privy to the matter, Raina emphasised that recent speculation had created confusion among party workers and the general public. 'These rumours are baseless. I have recently met with the top leadership, and they have also ruled out any talks about such an alliance at this point,' Raina was quoted as saying. However, a certain section of the Punjab BJP is in favour of an alliance to take on AAP and Congress. The SAD-BJP alliance formed the government in the state thrice. They first formed the government in 1997, soon after SAD patriarch and five-time CM Prakash Singh Badal stitched an alliance with the saffron party. Then the alliance ruled the state for 10 years between 2007 and 2017.
Ahead of the 2024 general elections, several reports suggested that both parties came close to a re-alliance but it could not materialise because two farm bodies started protesting at the Shambhu border along Haryana, blaming the Centre for not accepting their demands.
SAD, which is looking to re-establish itself after its core base of panth and the peasantry eroded post the 2015 sacrilege incidents
The party was blamed for the incidents and flip-flop on pardon to dera Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the highest temporal seat.
In the 2017 state polls, the party was reduced to 15 members in the 117-member state assembly and further fell to just three in 2022. Siding with the peasantry, who was then opposing the now repealed farm laws, the party, in 2022, cut ties with the BJP, its ally of 25 years. The move further contributed to the party's slide.
A senior Akali leader, based in Delhi, didn't rule out the talks of an alliance with the saffron party and said that it could happen close to the 2027 elections.
'These things are part of elections and at this stage, it is too early to say anything', he said, adding that 'At this stage, there is no compulsion. The things will happen when there is a force multiplier.'