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Launching a scathing attack on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal over hints of a renewed pact with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of elections in the state, Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday questioned how the SAD leadership could compromise on the "deaths of 750 farmers" after having walked out of the NDA over the contentious three farm laws known as "black laws."
Speaking to ANI, Cheema said, "...People of Punjab know that the BJP is responsible for the deaths of 750 farmers. Akali Dal had broken their alliance with them over the black laws (farm laws). I don't know how he will forge an alliance with the BJP now." Cheema's reaction came shortly after Sukhbir Singh Badal firmly ruled out any possibility of joining hands with the ruling AAP or the opposition Congress, calling them the "biggest enemies of Punjab," while keeping the door ajar for other parties. Addressing the media regarding alliance prospects, the SAD president had asserted that his party is regional in character and prioritises the state above electoral gains. "Akali Dal is a regional party. Punjab is number 1 priority for Akali Dal. Whether we come to power or not, we have to keep fighting for Punjabis," Badal said. He further added, "For us, there are two parties which are the biggest enemies of PunjabCongress and AAP. We can never have an alliance with these parties. Whichever other parties align with the ideology of Shiromani Akali Dal, we are open to them." Notably, the Shiromani Akali Dal, one of the oldest allies of the BJP in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), walked out of the coalition in September 2020 in the wake of the widespread protests by farmer unions against the three agricultural reform bills passed by Parliament. If the deal is sealed between the two parties, it will mark a historic shift in Punjab politics. For the first time, the BJP would contest as the 'big brother' in the alliance, a role traditionally played by the Akali Dal. Shiromani Akali Dal had historically been the dominant partner in the state, with the BJP contesting a smaller number of urban seats. A realignment with the BJP as the senior partner would significantly alter political equations in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls. (ANI)
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