Haryana Chief Minister Rules Out SAD Alliance, BJP Focuses on Quelling Dissent

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the state. Despite Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, 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. On the other hand, the BJP found itself firefighting this week, mostly around the public display of dissent in poll-bound Punjab, where a newly constituted state body left many leaders fuming, as party's Haryana in-charge Satish Poonia has been deputed to quell the dissent in the Punjab unit of the saffron party. Replying to a question during his media briefing, CM Saini said that the alliance of the BJP is with the people of Punjab and also claimed that the BJP is forming the next government in the state. Asked about SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, the Haryana Chief Minister said that PM Modi represents 140 crore people of India and could meet anyone. Expressing surprise that the meeting had led to speculation about an alliance, Saini said that people had started celebrating the development as " finally time has been given ."