Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has ruled out the possibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) forming an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Puri stated that SAD has lost its credibility among Punjab voters, citing the party’s third-place finish in the recent Jalandhar byelection. The BJP had previously been in alliance with SAD for 25 years, but Puri expressed disappointment in the party’s performance and stated that SAD had failed to meet the expectations of the people of Punjab.
Puri mentioned that if any respected leaders from SAD, or those who had recently left the party, wanted to join the BJP and contest under the BJP symbol, it would be considered separately. However, BJP’s Punjab affairs in-charge Vijay Rupani also stated that there was no possibility of an alliance with SAD in the state.
The alliance between SAD and BJP was dissolved in 2020 due to disagreements over farm laws, which resulted in widespread farmer protests across the country.
Puri also criticized the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, stating that offering freebies would not help the state’s economy as it was burdened by heavy debt. He also addressed the BJP’s recent defeat in the Karnataka Assembly election, attributing it to other reasons and expressing the party’s intention to introspect and rectify any mistakes. Puri highlighted that the party’s vote share in Karnataka has remained steady at 36 percent.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has rejected the idea of an alliance between BJP and SAD for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, stating that SAD has lost credibility among Punjab voters. He also criticized the AAP’s approach in Punjab and acknowledged the BJP’s defeat in the Karnataka Assembly election, emphasizing the party’s commitment to self-reflection and improvement.
