Farm laws repealed: How does the BJP benefit from it in Punjab

New Delhi, Nov 20: The repeal of the three contentious farm laws comes as a major reprieve for the BJP which is fighting the elections in Punjab alone.

The farm laws had led to the breakdown of a 24 year old coalition with the Akali Dal which had walked out of the National Democratic Alliance last year.

The timing of the decision could make a major difference to the BJP. The laws were repealed just two days after the Centre opened the Kartarpur Sahib corridor to Pakistan for Sikh pilgrims. These two moves are expected to help the BJP regain ground that it had lost with the Sikh community.

However the BJP will also have to bear in mind that there have been 700 deaths during the farmers' protest against the laws. Further the party will also be contesting the elections in Punjab for the first time without the Shiromani Akali Dal since 1996.

The repeal of the farm laws also clears the path for a tie up between the BJP and Captain Amarinder Singh's new party. Captain Singh and made it clear that he would be open for an alliance if the farm laws are repealed.

"I look forward to working closely with the BJP-led Centre for development of kisani," Singh had said in the aftermath of the repeal.