Now Reading: PM Modi meets Sukhbir Badal, sparks BJP-SAD alliance buzz
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PM Modi meets Sukhbir Badal, sparks BJP-SAD alliance buzz
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday, triggering speculation about a revival of the BJP-SAD alliance ahead of Punjab assembly elections due early…
The Story in Brief
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday, triggering speculation about a revival of the BJP-SAD alliance ahead of Punjab assembly elections due early next year. Badal discussed Punjab's law and order situation and alleged corruption in welfare schemes under the AAP government. The BJP has publicly stated it will contest all 117 seats alone, with state president Kewal Singh Dhillon reiterating this stand. However, sources suggest SAD leadership is keen on a pact, as the party has declined since AAP came to power in 2022, now holding only three assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal mocked the meeting, posting on X: "Na na karte pyaar tumhi se kar baithe. So, is an alliance forming between the Chandachor Party and the Beadabi Party?"
The Indian Opinion
The usual grand narratives of a BJP masterstroke or a SAD revival ignore two stark numbers. In 2024, the BJP got 18% and the SAD less than 15% of the Punjab vote. A divided opposition helped AAP win 42 of 117 seats. The real test isn't a photo-op; it is whether any alliance can break 25%. The only question that matters: will a patch-up be a trap that hands the state to the AAP on a split anti-incumbency platter?
Sources (4): news.abplive.com, timesnownews.com, hindustantimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
