Pointing out that his party’s story with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was over, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday, 25 July, suggested that regional parties should come together to form a national front in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
As per news agency PTI, Badal said:
"There is a need for regional forces to get together. Regional forces are more connected to the ground and have better understanding of the people. We have been talking to various parties. Regional parties should come together and form a front before the 2024 general elections."
"And I am sure before 2024 this front will emerge as a very strong force," he added.
Further, according to PTI, he also stated that his party could never compromise on the farmers' issues as they are at the core of the SAD ideology.
"SAD is a farmers' party and their issues are core of our ideology. Whatever may happen and whatever cost we may have to pay, we wouldn't let these laws be implemented in Punjab.”
In September 2020, Badal’s wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal had stepped down as a Union minister, in protest against the farm laws.
ON ALLIANCE WITH BSP
The SAD chief also reportedly said that his party’s alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was permanent.
Pointing out that it would rather be a second-front than the third, Badal also clarified that the BJP will be the front’s main target.
PLANS FOR UPCOMING POLLS
In the upcoming polls in Punjab, Badal, as per PTI, said that the farm laws would be a key issue for their party and if voted to power, they would provide a government job to a family member of all the farmers who passed away while protesting against the contentious laws, as well as free education to their children.
Further, PTI quoted Badal as saying that pension will be given to the parents of those who died young.
Badal informed that the SAD would field more new people and women in the Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, he also sought a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), headed by an Opposition MP, into the Pegasus snooping reports.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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