Farm Laws to be Withdrawn: Will SAD And BJP Come Back in Alliance Ahead of Punjab Assembly Elections 2022?

Will equations change in Punjab ahead of Assembly Elections 2022? In a huge announcement made on Friday on the occasion of Guru Nanak Gurupurab 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the three contentious farm bills that were brought last year will be repealed in the coming Parliament session. While the Prime Minister defended the bills in his speech on Friday morning, he also said that his government has not been able to convince a section of farmers. he announced that the government will withdraw the three laws and hopes for a "fresh start". PM Narendra Modi Address to The Nation Highlights: Prime Minister Says 3 Farm Laws Will be Withdrawn in Upcoming Parliament Session.

The Opposition has reacted saying that the decision has come as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the upcoming Assembly elections in mind. The BJP had lost its Punjab ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) by passing the three farm laws last year. SAD was BJP's best bet in Punjab. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who was a minister in the Modi government, had resigned from her post, and stood in support of farmers' protests against the three laws. Government Repealed Farm Laws in Fear of Loss in Polls, Says Congress.

Recent opinion polls indicated that Congress may retain power in Punjab Assembly Elections 2022. However, the Congress, too, fell into deep crisis with former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigning from the party and forming his own party. Congress tried to douse the fire, bringing Charanjit Singh Channi as the Chief Minister even as many wondered if Navjot Singh Sidhu could be the choice for the role.

Amid all this, farmers' protests remained the biggest poll issue in Punjab. After Friday's announcement by PM Modi, all eyes will now be on whether the BJP would get back its Punjab ally SAD before Elections 2022. Will Akali Dal and BJP alliance be back in fray in the battle for Punjab? Another question that many would be asking is what would Captain Amarinder Singh's role be with equations changing ahead of Punjab polls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 19, 2021 11:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).