CHANDIGARH: A day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering fresh speculation about a possible SAD-BJP alliance for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, the SAD on Saturday demanded the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill and fair and equitable delimitation to ensure equal representation for all states.
Badal met senior party colleagues on Saturday but remained tight-lipped about his meeting with Modi, fuelling speculation about possible alliance talks between the two former allies, who ended their 24-year partnership in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws.
After the meeting with senior party leaders, Badal said the SAD drew inspiration from the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, who championed the dignity, equality and equal rights of women. He said the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar, had already set an example by providing for women’s reservation in its House.
“After detailed deliberations on key issues before Parliament, the SAD also demanded a fair and equitable delimitation that ensures equal representation to all states,” he said and added that the SAD supported the proposal put forward by the Union Government on the floor of the house for a uniform increase of 50 per cent in the number of seats in all state and emphasized that women reservation and delimitation should be done immediately.
Senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the SAD had earlier opposed delimitation based on the 2011 Census but, after deliberations, decided to support the Centre’s proposal for a uniform expansion of seats. He said the party wanted a fair arrangement that ensured equal representation for all states.
Asked about speculation over an alliance with the BJP, Cheema said, “that the two leaders have met.” Responding to questions on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's remarks on a possible tie-up, he said this showed the fear of the AAP. On whether an alliance was under consideration, Cheema said he had to speak only about the decisions taken at the meeting.
Badal met Modi in Parliament on Friday, reviving discussion about a possible reunion of the two former allies. The senior SAD leaders who attended Saturday’s meeting included Gulzar Singh Ranike, Sikander Singh Maluka, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Daljit Singh Cheema, Maheshinder Singh Grewal and MP Harpreet Kaur Badal.
The two issues raised by the SAD are among the contentious matters likely to come up during the remainder of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The government is making a fresh attempt to pass a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing their number to 816. The Constitution Amendment Bill was defeated in the last session.
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon sought to play down the meeting on Friday, saying the Prime Minister was available to meet anyone and declining to comment on a possible alliance.
