By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The BJP has approached the Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal for political come back to NDA and both the parties are in talks for the likely induction of Harsimrat Kaur Badal, MP from Bathinda, in the Union cabinet being sworn in today evening.
Latest reports said Ravneet Singh Bittu BJP candidate from Ludhiana is likely to be inclided in the Modi cabinet.
The Times Of India has reported that BJP has approached the SAD to join the Union cabinet. The SAD and BJP were alliance partner for over 15 years but they snapped ties due to differences on farmer's agitation. Both parties contested the Lok Sabha elections separately and combined poll percentage of both the parties was around 30 percent higher than any other political party in the state. BJP couldn't won even a single seat despite security 18 percent vote share and SAD won one with 12 percent vote share.
The induction of Harsimrat Kaur Badal in the Union cabinet would lead to SAD and BJP alliance contest next assembly elections in 2027.
While talks with SAD are going on behind the scene, BJP is also having an eye on next assembly elections and the BJP high command is reportedly considering to induct one minister from Punjab from among the Sikh leaders of BJP failed to win the Lok Sabha seat. The names of Taranjit Singh Sandhu BJP candidate from Amritsar and Gurmeet Singh Sodhi BJP candidate from Ferozepur seat were discussed. Sandhu is considered close to Narender Modi and worked hard to strengthen the relations of India with US being the ambassador of India in the US.