BJP and SAD Leaders Meet Amid Speculation of Alliance Ahead of Punjab Elections

In New Delhi, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the subsequent support for the bills has rekindled speculation of a possible BJP-SAD alliance ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The two parties broke off their alliance in 2020 over the farm laws. This is the first time the two top leaders have met in six years. The relationship between the Akali Dal and the Jan Sangh (later the BJP) has evolved since the first general elections in 1952 through ideological differences, cooperation, and changing political compulsions. The political affiliation of the Akali Dal and the Jan Sangh can be seen from the first general election in 1952. There was no ideological similarity between the two parties, but opposition to the Congress was their biggest common platform. This Congress opposition led to the Akali Dal's closeness to the Left parties on several occasions. However, when the Akali Dal worked with the Congress in the early stages, the Jan Sangh had the strongest understanding on the Punjabi-speaking state (Punjabi language) issue. The Akali Dal had the largest opposition to the Punjabi language (Punjabi language) movement in the state.