BJP Signals Solo Punjab Fight, But SAD Alliance Talks Continue
· India · Hindustan Times, The Tribune
BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh declared during a two-day Punjab visit that the party will contest all 117 assembly seats in the upcoming early-2027 elections, ruling out a revival of its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). However, BJP state leaders told HT that negotiations for an alliance remain underway, with at least two senior leaders confirming backchannel talks are still on. The push for a tie-up has gained ground after SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal met PM Narendra Modi earlier this month, and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia publicly backed a reunion. The BJP-SAD alliance split in 2020 over the now-recalled farm laws, and the current Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab faces anti-incumbency sentiment, making a combined opposition push attractive. Santhosh expressed confidence the BJP would form its first-ever government in Punjab.
Why it matters
A solo contest risks splitting the anti-AAP vote and handing the Aam Aadmi Party an advantage, while an alliance with SAD could consolidate opposition votes and potentially end AAP's incumbency in Punjab.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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