Akali Dal Student Wing Backs ABVP In Panjab University Polls (Img: X)
Chandigarh: A political development at Panjab University has sparked fresh speculation about the future of ties between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
The Student Organisation of India (SOI), the student wing of SAD, has extended unconditional support to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) presidential candidate Ankit Bidhan in the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council elections.
The development is particularly significant because SAD and BJP were long-standing allies before their alliance ended in 2020 over the Centre’s farm laws.
SOI had planned to contest the presidential election but its candidate’s nomination papers were rejected, leaving the organisation out of the race.
Following this, SOI announced its support for ABVP’s candidate. ABVP said representatives of the two organisations came together at the Shri Gurudwara Sahib on the Panjab University campus to announce the decision.
The move could potentially influence the student vote, although its impact on the final election result remains to be seen.
Voting for the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) began at 9:30 am on Monday across university departments.
The university administration has arranged for ballot boxes to be shifted to the Gymnasium Hall after polling. Counting for office-bearer posts and the declaration of results are scheduled to take place at the same venue.
Security has also been tightened across the campus, with checks at all three entry gates to prevent unauthorised movement during polling.
The student-level cooperation has gained political attention because senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia recently spoke about the possibility of the two parties coming together again.
Majithia had said that Punjab’s position as a border state and the need to maintain social harmony were among the factors behind calls for renewed cooperation. The SAD and BJP had shared power in Punjab for several years before ending their alliance in 2020.
With the Punjab Assembly elections due in 2027, any signs of renewed coordination between the two parties are being closely watched.
The SOI-ABVP understanding is currently limited to the university election and does not by itself establish a formal political alliance between SAD and BJP. However, it has added fresh fuel to speculation over whether the former allies could explore cooperation ahead of the state polls.
