Punjab elections: BJP back on poll scene, tie-up with Amarinder Singh possible

Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on repealing the Centre’s three farm laws is expected to help the BJP put up a fight in the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls, political observers said here on Friday. The party has not been able to campaign for the polls so far because of the farmers’ opposition to its leaders in Punjab. The opposition party in Punjab can now also look forward to the possibility of a tie-up with former chief minister Amarinder Singh’s new party. After the PM’s announcement, Singh indicated that he was open to working with the BJP-led Centre on farmers’ issues. The old alliance between the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal broke last year when the SAD quit the National Democratic Alliance over the farm laws. While quitting the Congress after his humiliating ouster from the CM’s post, Amarinder Singh had indicated that he was hopeful of a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP, provided the agitation over the new laws was resolved in the farmers’ interest. Singh had earlier met the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said he discussed the farmers’ stir with him and urged him to resolve the crisis urgently with the repeal of the three laws. The elections for the 117-member Vidhan Sabha are expected to witness a multi-cornered contest among the ruling Congress, the SAD-BSP alliance, the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP. Amarinder Singh on Friday thanked Modi for the decision on farm laws. Huge huge day for all of us in Punjab. I’d been pursuing the matter with Centre for last 1+ year & had met @narendramodi ji, @AmitShah ji requesting them to heed the voice of our annadaatas. Really happy they’ve heard farmers & understood our concerns, the former CM’s media aide quoted him as saying. This has not only come as huge relief to farmers but has paved way for Punjab’s progress. I look forward to working closely with @BJP4India led centre for development of Kisans. I promise Punjab’s people I won’t rest till I wipe every tear from every single eye, Singh said. Modi on Friday announced that the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers for a year. Farmers in large numbers, most of them from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November 2020 protesting over the agri-marketing laws.