Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) national general secretary Satish Chandra Misra announced on Monday that he is on a three-day visit to poll-bound Punjab to hold meetings with leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), with which the party, headed by former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati, has entered into an alliance for next year’s assembly elections in the border state.
Also, according to news agency ANI, Misra will attend the SAD's 101st foundation day celebrations, which will take place on Tuesday.
The Sukhbir Badal-headed Akali Dal and the BSP announced their alliance in June this year. Last September, the former severed its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in protest against the three contentious central agricultural laws.
{{/usCountry}}The Sukhbir Badal-headed Akali Dal and the BSP announced their alliance in June this year. Last September, the former severed its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in protest against the three contentious central agricultural laws.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Akali Dal's Badal announces alliance with BSP for Punjab assembly elections
The party has ruled out a realignment with the BJP despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on November 19 that the legislations, which triggered year-long agitation among farmers from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, were being rolled back.
Also Read | Farm laws repealed, but Sukhbir Badal rules out alliance with BJP
“One of the deputy CMs will be from the BSP,” Sukhbir Badal said recently, after announcing previously that if the coalition is victorious in Punjab, then a Scheduled Caste (SC) and a Hindu MLA will be sworn-in as deputy chief ministers.
Also Read | One deputy CM from BSP if SAD-BSP alliance comes to power: Badal
The Bahujan Samaj Party will field candidates in 20 out of 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab, where assembly elections are likely to take place early next year.