BSP, Akali Dal Likely To Join Forces For Punjab Polls 2022; Alliance To Be Inked On Saturday

Earlier this week, Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced that the Akali Dal is open for a pre-poll alliance with parties other than Congress, AAP and BJP. 

Chandigarh: Mayawati led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is likely to ink alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the upcoming 117-member assembly elections in Punjab that are expected to take place in 2022. 

Though a final announcement is expected to be made on Saturday (June 12), there are reports that Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and BSP's General Secretary Satish Mishra reached Chandigarh earlier today to discuss on holding a joint press conference to announce the pact. 

If reports are to be believed, the Akali Dal, which had quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last year, is ready to give 18 seats to BSP. While the BSP will contest on 18 - 20 seats, the Akali Dal is expected to field candidates on the rest of the constituencies. The move could be a blessing for Mayawati in terms of earning some gains in the northern state. 

It is to be noted that Akali Dal, the oldest member of the BJP-led NDA, has walked out of the pact with the saffron party in 2020 due to alleged difference over the contentious farm laws. 

Earlier this week, Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced that the Akali Dal is open for a pre-poll alliance with parties. However, it refused to alliance with Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP. 

The term of the current assembly in the state of Punjab will come to end on March 27, 2022. Hence, the assembly election in Punjab are expected to be held in February or March next year.