Tezzbuzz Desk: Before the Punjab Assembly elections, talks are going on between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) regarding the alliance, but there does not seem to be any consensus between the two parties regarding seat sharing and the face of the post of Chief Minister. According to sources, BJP is demanding to contest elections on 55 seats, while Akali Dal is in favor of giving around 45 seats.
There is a difference of only 10 seats between the two parties regarding seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. Earlier, when both the parties were in alliance, Akali Dal used to contest elections on 94 seats and BJP on 23 seats. In such a situation, BJP now wants the role of 'elder brother' by increasing its stake in the alliance.
Differences regarding CM face also
Not only the distribution of seats, but the strategy of both the parties is also different regarding the face of the post of Chief Minister. Akali Dal wants that Sukhbir Singh Badal should be declared the chief ministerial face before the elections. At the same time, instead of announcing any face before the elections, BJP is in favor of contesting the elections in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on the issue of development.
BJP believes that the decision of the Chief Minister should be taken after the election results are declared. This issue can become a major hurdle in alliance talks.
If no agreement is reached, BJP can contest elections alone
BJP has indicated at the organizational level that if a respectable agreement is not reached with Akali Dal on seats and other issues, then the party can also go ahead with the option of contesting alone on all the 117 assembly seats of Punjab.
The party is trying to strengthen its position in Punjab on the basis of its performance in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Even though BJP could not win any seat in the Lok Sabha elections, the party stood second in about 10 assembly constituencies of big cities like Amritsar and Jalandhar. Whereas Akali Dal stood second in seven assembly constituencies.
There may be competition between four parties
If there is no alliance between BJP and SAD, then this time in Punjab the contest may be seen between four major parties. Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP can contest elections separately.
In the 2022 assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party registered a big victory and secured 92 seats. In the current assembly, Congress has 15 seats, Akali Dal has 3 and BJP has 2 seats, while other and independent MLAs have 5 seats.
In such a situation, the talks between BJP and Akali Dal regarding seats and chief ministerial face in the coming days can decide the electoral picture of Punjab to a great extent.