"Shiromani Akali Dal is a 103-year-old movement with a clear vision .." says Sukhbir Singh Badal

While talking to the media, Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Tuesday, "Shiromani Akali Dal is not just a political party driven by number games, unlike some national parties. We are a 103-year-old movement with a clear vision and we have always stood by and for principles. That will continue to be our goal. The Shiromani Akali Dal core committee has already made our position and priorities clear."

Highlighting the party's core values, Badal emphasised the priority of principles and issues over political numbers. He stated, "For us, it is principles above politics and issues above any political numbers."

Furthermore, Badal underscored the Shiromani Akali Dal's historical role in championing the rights of farmers and its commitment to their welfare.

"We are the largest democratic representative organisation of farmers and have always led the fight for their rights from the front and introduced historic measures in government for their welfare. Our party stands by high principles and is committed to safeguarding Panth and Panjab," Sukhbir Singh Badal said.

Earlier, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party leader Daljit Singh Cheema announced the date of the party's core committee meeting, stating that the party will primarily focus on the strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

"The core committee meeting is going to happen on March 22 at the party head office in Chandigarh. The election strategy of the Parliamentary elections will be finalised. Furthermore, the political situation of the state where everything happening at the national level will also be thoroughly discussed in the core committee," said Daljit Singh Cheema.

Earlier, on a day the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) named s candidates for 8 of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal denied reaching any alliance with the BJP but did not entirely rule out the possibility of a tie-up in future.

The Akalis were partners of the BJP earlier in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre and the two even contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state together but failed to come up with the goods.

However, seeking to dispel rumours that the two parties could be costing up again ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and might even announce a seat-sharing deal in Punjab, the SAD chief said neither his party nor the BJP has any knowledge of an alliance in the state.

Claiming that such speculations were only confined to social media platforms, he said his party was keen to continue its tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the state.

The SAD snapped ties with the BJP and exited the NDA in September 2020 over the contentious farm laws of the Centre. The laws, however, were repealed later in the face of farmer protests. (ANI)