Amid speculations about the possibility of re-alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said leaders are forging new alliances or mending the old ones against him.
Addressing a gathering after handing over appointment letters to 252 new recruits in the health and family welfare department, the CM said the sole motive of such alliances is to grab the political power in the state by hook or by crook.
Mann said in contrast to these leaders he was working tirelessly for the welfare of people and using the office to serve the masses.
Though officially both the SAD and BJP denied if they were considering re-alliance, speculation is rife over the possibility ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls as it will help both the parties mount a challenge to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the main Opposition, Congress.
Since SAD broke its over two decade old alliance with the BJP in 2021 over now repealed farm laws, performance of both parties has gone downward with the SAD winning just three seats in 2022 Assembly votes in alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party which won one seat. The BJP won two seats in the 117-member House.
The recent bypoll for Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat saw the SAD finish third and the BJP fourth with 17.85 per cent and 15.19 per cent votes respectively as compared to the winner AAP (34.05 per cent) and Congress (27.85 per cent).
As the joint vote share of the SAD and BJP (33.04 per cent) was closer to AAP, “personal suggestions” from some SAD as well BJP leaders have been made in the recent past to revive the erstwhile alliance, which helped the SAD-BJP form government in Punjab thrice, for Lok Sabha elections scheduled for next year.
Facing battle of its existence post the demise of SAD stalwart Parkash Singh Badal and dissidence over party leadership, the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led party is believed to be considering re-alliance with the BJP as its alliance with the BSP has not helped the regional party improve its political prospects.
The SAD spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema, however, maintained there is no discussion on alliance with the BJP. “It is only a media creation. Our alliance with the BSP is intact,” he said.
The BJP’s state in-charge Vijay Rupani also maintained the BJP in Punjab will fight the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 on its own, without forming an alliance with any other party.
“The BJP will contest the 2024 elections under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and form the government at the Centre. The party will contest the elections alone in Punjab and win all 13 seats,” Rupani told reporters in Amritsar while paying obeisance at Harmandir Sahib along with new Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar.
The newly appointed Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday said his task is to expand the BJP from three to 13 LS seats and 23 to 117 Assembly seats. “Since there is a talk (of realignment) going on among people… my idea is whenever such a decision is taken, it should be done from a position of strength, which will come only if we have a presence on the ground,” he added.