"Major boost to party": Sukhbir Badal welcomes BKU Qadian's endorsement ahead of Punjab polls

The development was announced by Badal in a post on X, where he expressed appreciation for the farmer leader.

Grateful to S Harmeet Singh Qadian, President of Bharti Kisan Union, and his entire team for extending unconditional support to the Shiromani Akali Dal for the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections. Their faith in the @Akali_Dal_has given a major boost to the party, Badal wrote.

Emphasising the party's historic ties with the farming community, Badal stated that the Shiromani Akali Dal remains the sole regional force consistently aligned with the interests of cultivators and rural labourers.

He added, Shiromani Akali Dal is the only regional party that has always stood with Punjabs farming community and remains firmly committed to safeguarding their interests. I urge all Kisan and Mazdoor unions to strengthen the SAD, which will bring in policies in government to make agriculture a profitable profession. We are also committed to resolving all pending issues of our farmers & farm labourers.

Weighing in from Chandigarh, senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema lauded the endorsement, highlighting the union's deep grassroots connections across the state.

We are very happy that a powerful farmers' organisation in Punjab, the Bharatiya Kisan Union Kadian, has extended its unconditional support to the Shiromani Akali Dal for the 2027 Assembly elections. It is a long-established organisation with deep grassroots connections. Punjab's economy depends heavily on agriculture. When a farmers' union comes forward and expresses its faith in the Shiromani Akali Dal, it is a matter of great honour and pride for us. I thank the union and congratulate its members. A major force has joined the Shiromani Akali Dal, Daljit Singh Cheema told ANI.

On Saturday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of showing "complete disregard for the sentiments of the Khalsa Panth" over its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, questioning the party's decision to field Manwinder Singh Giaspura and jailed minister Sanjeev Arora.

In a post on X, Badal criticised AAP for giving a Vidhan Sabha ticket to Giaspura, claiming that he had been declared 'tankhaiya' by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. "In its first list of 40 candidates, Aam Aadmi Party has shown complete disregard for the sentiments of the Khalsa Panth," Badal wrote.

He also questioned the party's decision to field Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West, alleging that he was currently in jail after being caught in a major corruption case. "It is also fielding people like Sanjeev Arora, who is currently in jail after being caught in a major corruption case," he said.

Badal further alleged that AAP's decision to field such candidates indicated that the party was preparing for a tenure of misrule worse than the previous five years.

"Rewarding such people means AAP is preparing for misrule worse than the previous five years," he wrote.

AAP on Saturday announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, naming Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura and minister Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West.

The list also includes several other ministers, including Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri from Garhshankar, Kulwant Singh from S A S Nagar and Labh Singh Ugoke from Bhadaur.

Other candidates named by the party include Amandeep Kaur Arora from Moga, Amansher Singh (Shery Kalsi) from Batala, Inderbir Singh Nijjar from Amritsar South, Harmeet Singh Sandhu from Tarn Taran, Sarvan Singh Dhun from Khem Karan, Inderjit Kaur Mann from Nakodar, Karambir Singh Ghuman from Dasuya and Jasvir Singh Raja Gill from Urmar.

The candidates were finalised during a Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting convened at the residence of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema and other PAC members.

Following the announcement, Kejriwal extended his wishes to the candidates in a post on X, saying, "Best wishes to all candidates.

"In the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, AAP won 92 of the state's 117 seats, while the Congress secured 18 seats.

Meanwhile, preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections are also underway.

On Wednesday, a delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted a district-wise review of poll preparedness across Punjab.

The ECI delegation comprised Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sharma, Deputy Election Commissioner Bhanu Prakash Yeturu, Director General (IT) Seema Khanna and Director General (Media) Ashish Goyal.

During the meeting, the delegation held detailed interactions with all 23 District Election Officers, Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police. The officials made comprehensive presentations detailing the status of election preparedness in their respective districts. (ANI)