In Punjab's Moga, Shiromani Akali Dal warns Congress against vendetta politics

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) organised a rally in Punjab's Moga on Tuesday to mark the 100th anniversary of its inception. "Celebrating 100 years of 'Nirswarth Seva', 'Balidan' and 'Sangharsh' to preserve the pride and honour of Panth, Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat. These are our core values and we are committed to following the same path for peace, progress and prosperity of Punjab," the SAD said in a tweet.

Earlier today, Mayawati, the leader of SAD's alliance partner, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), wished the party well and expressed hope that it will win power in Punjab in the upcoming Assembly elections. "I hope that the alliance of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will come to power in Punjab with the full majority in the next Assembly elections, under the leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal," she added.

SAD promises to restore Chandigarh to Punjab

In a dramatic declaration issued on Thursday, Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed that if the SAD-BSP alliance is elected to power in the next state elections, Chandigarh will be returned to Punjab. He went on to say that the two will not allow the SYL Canal to be rebuilt and that they will bring criminal charges against Sadhu S Dharamsot for embezzling Rs 69 crore. The SAD-BSP alliance has ruled out a coalition with the BBJP, which is in negotiations with former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the Akali Dal (Dhindsa).

SAD-BSP alliance

After a 25-year separation, the Akali Dal and the BSP have established an alliance for the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. According to Badal, the BSP would compete for 20 of the 117 Assembly seats, while the SAD will contest the rest. BSP chief Mayawati described the SAD-BSP alliance as a "new political and social initiative" that will bring progress and prosperity to Punjab, thanking former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal over the phone. Punjab has a Dalit population of 31.94%, which is centred in the districts of Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, and Kapurthala.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal had resigned from her cabinet post and the Akali Dal had severed its 35-year relations with the BJP in protest of the Farm Laws at the start of the farmers' protest. Following the removal of farm laws, Akali Dal claimed that if PM Modi had listened to them, the repeal would not have occurred. In the Punjab elections in February 2022, Akali Dal will confront a weakened Congress and a rising AAP.

(with inputs from ANI)