The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced it would contest all 13 seats in Punjab on its own, ending speculation about Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and setting the stage for a four-cornered fight.
The state’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress are also contesting separately in Punjab while they are part of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in neighboring Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat.
BJP’s Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar said the decision to contest on its own was taken keeping in mind the future of Punjab, especially that of youngsters and farmers. “The works done by the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are not hidden from anyone. Whatever development the BJP has been done for Punjab, be it opening the Kartarpur Corridor or procuring grains from farmers in the state. the party will continue to take its agenda for public welfare forward,” said Jakhar in a video posted on social media.
He said the decision was taken after consulting the people of Punjab, state BJP leaders, and workers at the grassroots level. “The party would not forge any alliance in Punjab.”
A Punjab BJP leader said they failed to reach an agreement on certain core demands of the SAD, which related to issues of farmers and release of Sikh prisoners particularly Balwant Singh Rajoana. Rajoana has been on dead row since his conviction for the role in the killing of the then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in August 1995. The BJP wanted an unconditional alliance.
The Congress swept the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab in 2019 by winning eight of the 13 seats while SAD and BJP two each and AAP one.