Kejriwal takes swipe at BJP, SAD amid alliance buzz ahead of 2027 Punjab polls

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) amid speculation that the former allies could reunite ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

The speculation intensified after SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on Friday, putting the possibility of a renewed BJP-SAD partnership back in the political spotlight.

Kejriwal mocks alliance buzz

Reacting to reports surrounding the meeting, Kejriwal used a popular Hindi film line to mock the possibility of the two parties coming together again.

“Na na karte pyaar tumhi se kar baithe,” Kejriwal wrote on X, before asking whether an alliance was taking shape between what he described as the “Chandachor Party” and the “Beadabi Party”.

His remarks were aimed at reviving AAP's political attacks on both parties as Punjab's major political formations begin positioning themselves for the Assembly elections due by early 2027.

Badal meets PM Modi

The immediate trigger for the speculation was Badal's meeting with Modi in Parliament on Friday.

The interaction has generated political interest because the BJP and SAD were longstanding allies before their relationship broke down during the farmers' agitation over the three farm laws.

Friday's meeting is now being closely watched for indications of whether the two parties are exploring the possibility of reviving their partnership ahead of the next state election.

AAP targets former allies

Kejriwal's choice of words reflected AAP's attempts to attack the BJP and SAD simultaneously.

The party has frequently targeted the SAD over the sacrilege issue in Punjab, while its criticism of the BJP has centred on a range of political and governance issues.

By linking the two parties in his latest remarks, Kejriwal sought to portray any potential reunion as a return of an old political arrangement that AAP has consistently opposed.

Punjab battle intensifies

The exchange comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with the ruling AAP, Congress, BJP and SAD stepping up their organisational campaigns and attacks on rivals.

Punjab's 117-member Assembly is expected to go to the polls by February 2027. AAP had secured a commanding mandate in the 2022 election, winning 92 seats and forming the government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

The next election, however, is expected to be fought in a considerably altered political environment, with parties reassessing their strategies and potential alliances.

BJP-SAD history in focus

The BJP and SAD shared a political partnership in Punjab for several years, with the alliance forming governments in the state under the leadership of the Badal family.

Their relationship subsequently unravelled, leaving both parties to pursue separate political strategies in Punjab.

Any revival of the alliance would therefore significantly reshape the contest for 2027, potentially consolidating sections of the two parties' respective support bases while adding another dimension to the battle against AAP and Congress.

For now, however, Friday's meeting has fuelled speculation rather than produced a formal announcement of an alliance. Kejriwal's intervention indicates that AAP intends to make the possibility of a BJP-SAD reunion a political issue well before any such arrangement is formally confirmed.