Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Badal-Modi meeting fuels SAD-BJP alliance speculation ahead of 2027 polls
The leader of a big political party in Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, went to meet the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
They met at Parliament House in New Delhi.
This meeting made many people wonder if the two parties will work together again.
The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party were friends and allies for a very long time.
They stopped working together in September 2020 over some farm laws.
Those farm laws were later taken back.
Now there are elections coming in Punjab in 2027.
The two leaders talked about problems in Punjab, like keeping people safe and corruption in government schemes.
People are now guessing whether the two parties will team up again before the elections.
Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House in New Delhi on Friday afternoon.
The meeting sparked fresh speculation about a possible revival of the SAD-BJP alliance ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
SAD sources said the talks centred on Punjab's law-and-order situation and alleged corruption in welfare schemes of the AAP government.
The SAD and BJP, long-standing allies, parted ways in September 2020 over the now-repealed three farm laws.
Days earlier, Badal met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, weeks after Modi targeted the SAD at a public rally in Jalandhar.
- Who
- Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- What
- A meeting that fuelled speculation about a possible revival of the SAD-BJP alliance ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections
- When
- Friday afternoon, the day the briefing was published
- Where
- Parliament House, New Delhi
- Why
- Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, to discuss Punjab's law-and-order situation and alleged corruption in AAP welfare schemes; Badal's response to Modi's earlier remarks was seen as a sign the SAD wanted to keep communication open with the BJP
Pro-alliance reading
Skeptical reading
Meaning of PM Modi's remarks about the SAD
Pro-alliance reading
Sukhbir Badal said Modi was referring to SAD Punarsurjit, a breakaway faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and not the SAD led by him, keeping communication open with the BJP.
Skeptical reading
PM Modi had claimed at a Jalandhar rally that the SAD had become preoccupied with personal and selfish interests rather than public welfare, publicly criticising the party.
Prospects of an SAD-BJP alliance
Pro-alliance reading
The meeting provides fresh impetus to speculation about a possible revival of the alliance before the 2027 Punjab elections.
Skeptical reading
The parties had parted ways in September 2020 over the farm laws, and Modi had recently targeted the SAD, leaving the future of the alliance uncertain.
- Meeting
- Sukhbir Singh Badal (SAD president) with PM Narendra Modi
- Location
- Parliament House, New Delhi
- Timing
- Friday afternoon
- Context
- Possible SAD-BJP alliance revival ahead of 2027 Punjab Assembly elections
- Reported agenda
- Punjab law-and-order situation and alleged corruption in AAP welfare schemes
- Previous split
- September 2020 over the three farm laws, later repealed
- Recent related meeting
- Badal met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini days earlier
- Prior PM visit
- Modi addressed a public rally in Jalandhar weeks ago, targeting rival parties including the SAD