Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Saturday formed an alliance to contest the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections together.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and BSP's Satish Mishra jointly held a press conference on Saturday to announce the alliance.
Briefing the mediapersons, Badal said, "It is a new day in Punjab politics. Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party to fight the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections and future elections together. Out of 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly, BSP will contest on 20 seats and SAD will contest the remaining 97 seats."
BSP MP Satish Mishra also called the alliance a historic move in Punjab politics.
"It is a historic day as the alliance has been formed with SAD, which is Punjab's biggest party. In 1996 both BSP and SAD jointly fought Lok Sabha polls and emerged victorious on 11 of 13 seats. This time the alliance will not be broken," said Mishra.
"We will work to end corruption and scams under Congress' leadership. The current government is anti-Dalits and anti-farmers while we will work for everyone's welfare and development," added the BSP MP.
The alliance between SAD and BSP is formed at a time when there is a crisis in the Congress party over factionalism. Now, SAD sealing a deal with BSP is certainly a massive political development in Punjab politics.
SAD had pulled out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September last year over the farm bills with the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the post of Union Minister of Food Processing Industries.
The party has been looking for an alliance partner to contest the upcoming Assembly election.
Earlier, on June 5, SAD president Badal had said his party is open for pre-poll alliance with parties other than Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party. Badal, whose party was part of ruling NDA at the Centre before pulling out over the new farm laws last year, categorically ruled out the possibility of aligning with the BJP.
"We are open to alliances with other parties minus Congress, BJP and AAP. We cannot align with these parties. We will form alliances and we are open to others. No chance to go with BJP at all," he had told ANI.
The Assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled to take place next year.
( With inputs from ANI )
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