Punjab Assembly Elections: BJP-SAD Alliance Hinges on Equal Seat-Sharing

Chandigarh: Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, the possibility of a renewed alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) remains a subject of political speculation. Union Minister and senior BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri has made it clear that if the two parties come together in the future, the alliance would have to be based on equal terms.

Speaking to reporters in Amritsar on September 19, Puri said the BJP would not return to the old arrangement in which it contested a much smaller number of seats than the SAD. He said the earlier 22-seat formula would no longer work and that the BJP would not play the role of a junior partner.

No Alliance at Present, Says Puri

Puri clarified that the BJP is not currently entering into an alliance with the SAD and that the final decision on any future alliance rests with the party’s central leadership.

However, he said that if the two parties decide to join hands, seat-sharing would be based on equality. This marks a significant departure from their previous electoral arrangement.

Punjab has 117 Assembly constituencies. Under the previous BJP-SAD arrangement, the BJP generally contested around 22–23 seats, while the SAD contested most of the remaining constituencies. Puri’s latest comments indicate that the BJP would seek a substantially different arrangement if an alliance is revived.

BJP-SAD Alliance Ended in 2020

The BJP and SAD had been long-standing allies, but the Akali Dal left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in 2020 amid its opposition to the Centre’s farm laws. The farm laws were subsequently repealed.

Speculation about a possible rapprochement between the two parties has resurfaced in recent months. A meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in August was among the developments that generated renewed discussion about the former allies potentially working together again.

At the same time, the BJP had previously stated that it planned to contest all 117 Assembly seats on its own. BJP Punjab in-charge Satish Poonia had ruled out an alliance with the SAD earlier in September.

Focus on Drugs and Employment

During his visit to Amritsar, Puri also spoke about issues concerning Punjab’s youth. He said the BJP would work to address the state’s drug problem and that the Centre was working to create employment opportunities for young people.

Puri also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that Punjab’s law-and-order situation and unemployment problems had worsened under the state government. These remarks represent the BJP leader’s political assessment of the state government.

Seat-Sharing Emerges as Key Issue

With the 2027 Punjab Assembly election approaching, seat-sharing is likely to be an important issue if the BJP and SAD explore a renewed alliance.

For now, however, there is no announced BJP-SAD alliance. Puri’s position is that any future arrangement would have to move away from the earlier 22–23-seat formula and be negotiated on equal terms.