New Delhi: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has joined hands with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the Punjab Assembly Election slated to be held in 2022. This came after the SAD broke ties with the BJP over farm bills in September last year. “It’s a new day in Punjab politics, SAD and BSP to fight the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections and future elections together,” SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal announced today.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, in alliance with BSP, wants to fill the gap in several seats left post its breakup with BJP.

The BSP will contest from 20 seats while the Akali Dal will fight from the remaining 97 seats. “Out of 117 seats, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to contest on 20 seats, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to contest the remaining 97 seats,” Sukhbir Singh Badal announced.

Describing it as a historic day, BSP MP Satish Mishra said the alliance has been formed with the Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab’s biggest party.

“It’s a historic day as the alliance has been formed with Shiromani Akali Dal, which is Punjab’s biggest party. In 1986 both BSP & SAD jointly fought Lok Sabha polls and emerged victorious on 11 of 13 seats. This time the alliance won’t be broken,” BSP MP Satish Mishra said after entering into an alliance with SAD.

The BSP has a considerable hold over the 31 per cent Dalit votes in the state. The concentration of these votes is mainly on 23 seats in the Doaba region.

Akali Dal and BSP are coming together after 27 years when their alliance had won 11/13 seats in Punjab in the 1996 Lok Sabha election. Out of the 11 seats, BSP had won 3 while SAD bagged 8 seats.

Meanwhile, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said his party’s manifesto for the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls will be prepared by October. The Assembly polls in Punjab are scheduled to be held early next year.

Badal said the manifesto will include only those demands of the government employees that can be fulfilled, “unlike the Congress party, which made tall and false promises to them”.