No alliance with BJP in Punjab: Akali Dal chief after Farm Laws repeal

Chandigarh, Nov 19: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday denied any possibilities of allying with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) where the party is eyeing a return to power, even after the government announced to repeal farm law.

Asked whether there was any possibility of forging alliance again with the BJP, Badal ruled it out and said, ''We have a tie-up with the BSP and that will continue.''

Sukhbir Singh Badal welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of repealing three contentious farm laws and said rightful agitations have always succeeded.

''Wholeheartedly welcome the decision on repeal of 3 farming Black Laws. @Akali_Dal is particularly grateful that Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Parkash Purb was chosen to announce it. I hope this decision unites the nation, which has seen much temper due to the protests,'' Badal said in a tweet.

''I only wish the Prime Minister would have taken the decision when @Akali_Dal had raised the issue at the time of enactment of these #FarmLaws. A lot would have been different then. Now I urge @PMOIndia to take it forward by withdrawing the cases against farmers,'' said Badal in another tweet.

Last year, the Akali Dal had pulled out its lone minister - Harsimrat Kaur Badal - from the ruling NDA amid differences over the farm laws.

PM Modi on Friday announced that the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers for the past year.

Hundreds of farmers have been camping at three Delhi borders since last November with the demand that the government repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. They have also been demanding a new law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.