Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday, sparking renewed political speculation over a possible revival of the alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Although neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Akali Dal officially disclosed details of the meeting, political circles believe the discussions focused on Punjab’s law and order situation and the functioning of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The meeting has once again fuelled speculation that the two former allies may consider reuniting after ending their decades-long partnership in 2020 over differences regarding the Centre’s three farm laws, which were later repealed.
For more than two decades, the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal fought several Lok Sabha and Punjab Assembly elections together, emerging as one of the state’s most influential political alliances. However, both parties struggled electorally after contesting separately in the 2022 Assembly elections.
The Akali Dal recorded its weakest-ever performance by winning only three seats, while the BJP secured just two constituencies. In contrast, the AAP swept to power with a landslide victory, claiming 92 of the state’s 117 Assembly seats.
Political observers have repeatedly speculated about a possible reunion between the BJP and SAD, particularly before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, although no agreement was reached. The Lok Sabha results also proved disappointing for both parties, with the Akali Dal managing only one seat and the BJP failing to open its account in Punjab.
The latest meeting comes weeks after Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in Jalandhar, where he criticised several political parties in Punjab. At the time, Sukhbir Badal clarified that the Prime Minister’s remarks were directed at a breakaway Akali faction rather than the Shiromani Akali Dal, a statement that further strengthened speculation of improving ties between the former allies.
With Punjab set to vote in the Assembly elections early next year, political attention is now focused on whether the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal will revive their alliance to challenge the ruling AAP and the Congress in what is expected to be a closely watched electoral contest.
