Modi Meets Sukhbir Badal Fueling Punjab Alliance Speculation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Parliament House complex in New Delhi on August 7, 2026. The meeting triggered widespread speculation regarding a potential political reunion between the SAD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before next year's Punjab Assembly elections. The two parties were allies for over two decades until the SAD exited the National Democratic Alliance in September 2020 to protest three farm laws.

While the BJP's Punjab unit reportedly favors reopening channels with the SAD, the central leadership has not officially confirmed alliance discussions. State BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon denied the rumors, stating the party intends to contest all 117 seats independently. This follows a failed attempt to revive the partnership before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to seat-sharing disagreements.

The meeting drew criticism from political opponents. Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP and SAD are forming an alliance. Simultaneously, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleged a separate collusion between the BJP and AAP to influence polling booths.