&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "PM Modi meets Sukhbir Badal, fuels talk of BJP-SAD reunion in Punjab")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met the Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Parliament House Complex. The unexpected meeting, which lasted roughly 10 minutes, has triggered speculation about the revival of the estranged two-decade-long alliance ahead of the Punjab assembly election in early 2027. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party Convenor Arvind Kejriwal gave fuel to these speculations with a social media post on the platform X.
"Na na karte pyaar tumhi se kar baithe (Despite saying no, we ended up falling in love with you). So, is an alliance forming between the Chandachor Party and the Beadabi Party?" Kejriwal posted on X.
The BJP had maintained an alliance with the SAD till September 2020, when the two sides parted ways over the contentious farm laws, which triggered a nationwide protest against the central government. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party repealed the three farm laws in 2021, but the relationship remains strained.
"We discussed Punjab politics. It was a very good meeting. Our sole agenda for Punjab is development. We will contest and win all 117 seats; there is no talk of an alliance right now. We will form a BJP government in Punjab," said State BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon earlier in June.
As they contested the 2022 state elections and 2024 general elections independently, all three BJP, Congress and SAD were pushed to the fringe; AAP emerged as the strongest of all. Reports suggest that the SAD, BJP state unit and RSS are in favour of reviving the alliance; however, Home Minister Amit Shah has ruled out an alliance.
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A report from Indian Express hints at an internal power struggle in the BJP characterised by a public rebellion from veteran leaders following a contentious organisational reshuffle that replaced six district presidents. Over 100 office-bearers have resigned to protest the marginalisation of long-time workers and the rise of former Congress leaders in state leadership positions. Long-time BJP workers have accused the party of importing authoritarian “Congress culture”, sidelining the “taksali BJP (authentic)” cadres.
