New Delhi: Two of the oldest political allies – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) – are all set to join hands again just before the Punjab Assembly election. Before they parted ways, the two parties were part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, with the SAD (B) the oldest ally of the BJP.Sources in the two parties have told this reporter that after weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the partners-turned-frenemies have finalised the contours of their tie-up for the next year’s Punjab Assembly elections and a decision in this regard could be announced soon.As per the informed sources, the BJP has relented on its earlier stand that it should be the senior partner in the alliance. It seems to have finally, though grudgingly, accepted the position that it needs the crutches of the Akali Dal to make a decent mark in the Assembly polls.“While some last-minute differences are still in the process of being ironed out, it is a done deal. The most important thing is that the Akali Dal will remain the dominant partner in the alliance, fighting from over 60 seats out of the total 117 seats. Moreover, the seats for a splinter Akali Dal – Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) – will come out of the quota of the BJP,” said a senior SAD (B) leader, speaking on condition of anonymity.Also read: The Battle Over ‘Panthic Politics’ Ahead of the 2027 Punjab PollsThis leader also said that efforts are also being made to get the splinter Akali Dal to merge with the parent party but so far the effort has not borne fruits.“For the alliance to work, Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) must return home. However, the leaders of this splinter group can’t see eye-to-eye with Sukhbir Badal and his associates. But, politics, as they say, is the art of the possible. We are hopeful,” said the SAD (B) leader.As first reported by The Wire in August, despite public statements to the contrary, leaders of the two parties were working behind the scenes to stitch together a pre-poll alliance for next year’s Punjab assembly elections.The report had also said that the sticking point then was the number of seats each partner would get to contest on, with the BJP insisting that it should get more seats.BJP leader Akshay Sharma and party workers participate in ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’ September 25, 2026. Photo: PTI/Shiva Sharma.In the last two days, the BJP as well as the SAD (B) have sent clear signals that they aren’t averse to a tie-up.“Under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, drug trade has grown in Punjab. I went to Punjab recently to meet the drug-affected families. People have decided to bring an NDA government to power,” Home Minister Amit Shah said in Delhi yesterday.Within hours, Sukhbir Badal reacted, saying his party was open to an alliance with any party that accepted its ideology.Also read: Punjab: AAP Holds Tarn Taran Seat But Akali Dal Signals a ComebackThe BJP, despite its focus on winning over the Jatt Sikh voters through leaders like current Punjab unit chief Kewal Singh Dhillon and national vice president Manpreet Singh Badal, had concluded that still needed to join hands with its erstwhile partner if it wanted to sin some seats in Punjab.However, even after the tie-up, it may not be a smooth sailing for the two parties. The Shiromani Akali Dal (B) leadership is still unpopular among the voters, especially its core support base of rural Jatt Sikh peasantry. After the passing of former Punjab chief minister and party’s patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, the SAD has seen a steady erosion in its vote base as well as the exodus of several influential names, most of them close associates of the late Badal senior.“However, for both the parties, coming together is a must. Despite cases and allegations, the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab has so far not lost too much ground. While Sukhbir Badal is not the tall leader that his father was, the party has managed to retain a fair amount of support among its base. That is why the tie-up is happening,” said a state BJP leader.Maneesh Chhibber is a veteran journalist.