Every party has the right to decide alliances: Sukhbir Badal says BJP will go alone in 2027 Punjab polls

Shiromani Akali Dal (THAAD) Chairman Sukhbir Singh Badal It said on Saturday that each political party has the right to take its own decision on alliances, in response to the BJP’s announcement that it will contest the 2027 general elections. punjab assembly election On its own.Speaking in Ludhiana, Badal said his party is also contesting the 2024 assembly elections independently.“For us, the interests of Punjab and Punjabis are paramount and sovereignty is above all else,” he said.His remarks came hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the BJP will contest the 2027 assembly elections alone.Badal said the SAD would continue to fight for the rights of Punjab and its people and expressed confidence that the party would achieve a landslide victory in the next state elections.He also said SAD was different from the parties he said were seeking power in Delhi.“Earlier, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was given a lot of temptations, but he chose to remain in jail for 16 years instead of compromising the rights of the state. I will also continue to fight for the rights of Punjab.”“I have full faith in the intelligence of Punjabis who realize that they have been betrayed time and again by the parties in Delhi. I am confident that they will hand over 100 seats to SAD in the upcoming assembly elections,” he said.Speaking at an earlier rally, Badal questioned whether national leaders would be able to fulfill regional parties’ commitments to the country.“Can Amit Shah (Home Minister) or Modiji have the same concern for you as the Badals or Sadh?”He also claimed that Punjabis were abandoned during last year’s floods and accused the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government as well as the Center of failing to provide support to the affected residents.“Many leaders left the party thinking it was all over. Now, the same leaders are back, almost breaking in, seeking readmission. But my question to them is, why did you leave? Those who follow the wind cannot be trusted,” he said.Badal further claimed that the future Thaad government will take strong measures to combat crime and drugs in the state.“We will legislate to deny bail to gangsters and drug lords and confiscate all their property,” he said.He also said that the party would take strict action against industrial pollution of rivers in Punjab.“I will not let a single drop of industrial or sewage discharge enter the Sutlej and Beas rivers. Violators will be dealt with sternly. This is absolutely crucial to tackle the scourge of cancer in the Malwa belt.”Badal added that water would not be allowed to flow into the Rajasthan canals once the SAD came to power and accused the Indian National Congress of handing over Punjab’s waters to Rajasthan.He said he was committed to correcting what he called a “historic injustice.”