SAD likely to forge alliance with BSP for Punjab Assembly polls

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 12 : Ahead of Punjab assembly elections 2022, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is looking forward to form an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a decision on which is likely to be taken at SAD's core committee meeting scheduled to be held here on Saturday.
According to sources, the party is expected to take major decisions in view of the upcoming state legislative assembly elections at the meeting today.
SAD had pulled out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) earlier in September over the farm bills with the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the post of Union Minister of Food Processing Industries.
The party is now looking for an alliance partner to contest the upcoming assembly election. In case the party seals a deal with BSP, it would be a massive political development in Punjab politics.
The BSP General Secretary Satish Mishra has already reached Chandigarh ahead of the meeting.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and BSP's Satish Mishra are jointly expected to make an announcement regarding an alliance on Saturday.
Earlier, on June 5, SAD president Badal had said that his party is open for pre-poll alliance with parties other than Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party.Badal, whose party was part of ruling NDA at the Centre before pulling out over the new farm laws last year, categorically ruled out the possibility of aligning with the BJP.
"We are open to alliances with other parties minus Congress, BJP and AAP. We cannot align with these parties. We will form alliances and we are open to others. No chance to go with BJP at all," he had told ANI.
The assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled to take place next year.