Sukhbir Badal Meets PM Modi: How BJP-SAD Alliance Could Flip Punjab Election Script For AAP, Congress | Explainers News

Last Updated:August 07, 2026, 19:21 IST

A potential BJP-SAD alliance completely alters the playing field for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, threatening to turn a direct 2-horse race into a multi-cornered contest

PM Narendra Modi; Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament House complex in New Delhi. The high-profile meeting lasted around 10 minutes and has strongly reignited speculation about the revival of the SAD-BJP political alliance ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

Decoding the possibilities and its significance.

THE MEETING

SAD was one of the oldest partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) until it broke ties in 2020 over the controversial, now-repealed central farm laws. While official details are guarded, party sources revealed the discussions focused heavily on Punjab’s deteriorating law-and-order situation, administrative governance lapses, economic growth, and the ongoing drug menace under the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

Prior to this meeting, BJP leaders asserted they would contest the state elections independently. Senior leaders hint that a formal alliance could shape up, though Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri previously indicated that the BJP would no longer settle for a “younger brother” seat-sharing dynamic in Punjab.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal quickly took a swipe at the meeting on social media platform X, questioning if the two former allies are officially joining hands once again.

WHY A BJP-SAD ALLIANCE MAKES SENSE NOW

Overcoming Mutual Vulnerability: Since their acrimonious split in 2020 over the contentious farm laws, both parties have struggled independently in Punjab. In the last state elections, the BJP secured only two seats while SAD managed just three. Political analysts point out that fighting independently pushes both parties into a weak third- or fourth-place battle, while an alliance instantly brings them back into active contention against AAP and Congress.

Balancing Urban and Rural Votes: The two parties complement each other’s voter bases structurally. The BJP has traditionally held stronger roots in Punjab’s urban Hindu pockets, whereas SAD commands influence across the state’s rural Sikh-majority heartlands. A reunion could consolidate these fractured voting patterns.

Shifting Power Dynamics: Unlike their past arrangement, the BJP is no longer willing to play the “younger brother” role in Punjab. Senior BJP leaders have previously asserted plans to contest seats independently. Consequently, any renewed alliance will likely feature a radically different seat-sharing formula reflecting the BJP’s expanded national leverage.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR AAP AND CONGRESS

A potential BJP-SAD alliance completely alters the playing field for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, threatening to turn what was trending toward a direct two-horse race into a fierce, multi-cornered contest.

The Aam Aadmi Party, currently facing governance fatigue over local issues like the sacrilege controversy and law-and-order criticisms, relies on a fractured opposition to retain power. An aligned opposition makes it harder for AAP to win single-seat pluralities.

AAP has recently shown mixed results—retaining strongholds in civic bodies like Mohali and Bathinda while facing pushback in other pockets. A BJP-SAD alliance threatens to sweep up both the urban Hindu voters (via BJP) and rural Sikh voters (via SAD), squeezing AAP’s geographic footprint.

Congress had been positioning itself to capitalize heavily on AAP’s governance vulnerabilities. A unified NDA block directly threatens this momentum by offering voters a formidable alternative coalition.

While Congress saw a resurgence during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party continues to battle deep internal leadership disputes and high-profile defections. Facing a cohesive BJP-SAD front means Congress cannot afford inner-party indiscipline or unstructured campaigns if it wants to stay competitive.

About the Author

Manjiri Joshi

At the news desk for 20 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci…Read More

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