SAD-BJP Alliance Talk Revives Panthic Politics Ahead of 2027 Punjab Polls

Six years after walking out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in a huff over the now-repealed farm laws, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) appears to be edging back towards its old partner. A meeting between party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ignited fresh speculation of a renewed SAD-BJP alliance, a move that could reshape Punjab's political calculus ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

The meeting, held in the national capital, was the first high-level engagement between the two parties since the bitter split in 2020. While neither side has made an official announcement, the political signals are hard to miss. The Akali Dal has publicly thrown its weight behind the Centre's delimitation exercise — a stark reversal of its earlier stance when it accused the BJP of trying to undermine Punjab's interests.

A shift in stance

For the Akali Dal, the change in posture is significant. When it quit the NDA in September 2020, Sukhbir Badal had framed the decision as a matter of Sikh pride and farmer rights. The party had staged massive protests against the three farm laws, aligning itself with the agrarian agitation that shook the BJP's rural base in Punjab. Now, by supporting delimitation — a process that many in the state view with suspicion — the SAD appears to be signalling its readiness to bury the hatchet.

Political observers note that the timing is crucial. With the 2027 Assembly polls less than a year away, the Akali Dal is desperate to reclaim its position as the principal opposition to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The party's core support base, rooted in the Sikh peasantry and the Panthic vote, has shown signs of erosion in recent elections. The Congress and AAP have both made inroads into this demographic, leaving the SAD scrambling for a revival strategy.

Panthic politics and the BJP question

The renewed alliance talk has reignited the debate over 'Panthic' politics — the Akali Dal's traditional emphasis on Sikh religious and community issues. For decades, the party positioned itself as the political arm of the Sikh Panth, often clashing with the Centre over matters of federalism and minority rights. Aligning with a Hindu-nationalist party like the BJP has always been a double-edged sword for the SAD.

In 2020, the farm laws provided a convenient cover for the party to exit the NDA, allowing it to project itself as a defender of farmers against a perceived anti-Punjab bias in New Delhi. But now, with the laws repealed and the BJP courting the state aggressively, the SAD faces a dilemma. A reunion could bring electoral benefits — the BJP's organisational muscle and financial resources could help the Akali Dal counter AAP's populist appeal and Congress's caste arithmetic.

However, it also risks alienating the very voters the party needs to win back. The Sikh clergy and several farmer unions have already expressed unease over the SAD's softening stance on delimitation, which they fear could reduce Punjab's parliamentary representation.

BJP's Punjab puzzle

For the BJP, the alliance is equally strategic. The party has struggled to establish a foothold in Punjab, where it won just two of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in 2024. In the 2022 Assembly elections, it failed to open an account. A tie-up with the SAD offers the BJP a ready-made ground network and a trusted partner among the Sikh majority — a crucial requirement given the ongoing farmer protests and border security concerns.

Delimitation is a particularly sensitive issue in Punjab. The state's political class, across party lines, has traditionally opposed any move that could alter seat allocation based on population, arguing that it penalises states with better family planning records. The SAD's support for the exercise, therefore, is a major concession that the BJP is unlikely to let go unnoticed.

What lies ahead

Both parties have denied any formal negotiation, but the back-channel talks are an open secret. The coming months will reveal whether this is a tactical rapprochement or a full-fledged coalition. For now, the Akali Dal is walking a tightrope — courting a central government it once demonised, while trying to keep its Panthic base intact.

Observers will keenly watch the SAD's next moves, particularly its stance on key Sikh issues and its handling of the farmer lobby. The 2027 polls are a long way off, but the groundwork is already being laid. Whether this alliance becomes a reality or fizzles out, one thing is clear: Punjab's political chessboard is in play once again.