LS polls 2024: BJP to go solo in Punjab, no alliance with SAD, says Sunil Jakhar
He ruled out an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the border state.
- Mar 26, 2024,
- Updated Mar 26, 2024 11:31 AM IST
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said that the saffron party will contest the upcoming general elections alone in Punjab. He ruled out an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the border state.
Jakhar said that the decision was taken on the basis of the opinion of the people and party workers in Punjab. "This decision was taken based on the opinion of the people, party workers in the state," Jakhar said.
With this, Sunil Jakhar has ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Akali Dal. The SAD and the BJP were unable to reach a consensus on seat-sharing in the state, sources aware of the matter told India Today.
Here's what Sunil Jakhar had to say
There was friction over seat-sharing as the Akali Dal proposed to contest on nine seats and offered the remaining four seats to the BJP. The BJP, however, projecting the larger popularity of PM Modi, sought a larger share.
The BJP is confident of winning on 5 out of 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state. "If SAD agrees to our terms, the alliance will be finalised. But, they should come to the negotiation table and assure us that we will get 5 seats to fight in Punjab," a top source within the BJP said.
The SAD walked out of the NDA alliance in 2020 in protest over the now-scrapped farm laws. In 2019, the BJP and the SAD won two seats each in the border state.
The Congress party won eight parliamentary seats, defying the pro-Modi trend observed in northern and central India. The remaining five were secured by the BJP, SAD, and the Aam Aadmi Party.
SAD severed its alliance with the BJP in September 2020 due to the controversial farm laws, which have since been repealed. The farmers of Punjab have been protesting for a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.
Reports suggest the SAD, which exited the NDA over the farmers' issues, is unlikely to rejoin with the BJP while the protests persist. The SAD's core committee met on March 22 to discuss their election strategy and the political situation of the state.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal previously denied forming an alliance with the BJP, but did not entirely dismiss the possibility of a future partnership. Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held in a single phase on June 1.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said that the saffron party will contest the upcoming general elections alone in Punjab. He ruled out an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the border state.
Jakhar said that the decision was taken on the basis of the opinion of the people and party workers in Punjab. "This decision was taken based on the opinion of the people, party workers in the state," Jakhar said.
With this, Sunil Jakhar has ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Akali Dal. The SAD and the BJP were unable to reach a consensus on seat-sharing in the state, sources aware of the matter told India Today.
Here's what Sunil Jakhar had to say
There was friction over seat-sharing as the Akali Dal proposed to contest on nine seats and offered the remaining four seats to the BJP. The BJP, however, projecting the larger popularity of PM Modi, sought a larger share.
The BJP is confident of winning on 5 out of 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state. "If SAD agrees to our terms, the alliance will be finalised. But, they should come to the negotiation table and assure us that we will get 5 seats to fight in Punjab," a top source within the BJP said.
The SAD walked out of the NDA alliance in 2020 in protest over the now-scrapped farm laws. In 2019, the BJP and the SAD won two seats each in the border state.
The Congress party won eight parliamentary seats, defying the pro-Modi trend observed in northern and central India. The remaining five were secured by the BJP, SAD, and the Aam Aadmi Party.
SAD severed its alliance with the BJP in September 2020 due to the controversial farm laws, which have since been repealed. The farmers of Punjab have been protesting for a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.
Reports suggest the SAD, which exited the NDA over the farmers' issues, is unlikely to rejoin with the BJP while the protests persist. The SAD's core committee met on March 22 to discuss their election strategy and the political situation of the state.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal previously denied forming an alliance with the BJP, but did not entirely dismiss the possibility of a future partnership. Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held in a single phase on June 1.