The resolution passed by the ruling National Democratic Alliance partners in New Delhi stood out not only for its effusive praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who surpassed Jawaharlal Nehru as India's longest-serving Prime Minister, but also for its salutations to the founders and parties of the coalition.
Recognition of Founding Leaders
A name that prominently featured among seven acknowledged by NDA allies for generous appreciation was that of late Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal. Another notable name was the late Balasaheb Thackeray, founder of the Shiv Sena. The inclusion of these two names alongside other NDA founding leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, George Fernandes, Sikandar Bakht, LK Advani, and Murli Manohar Joshi carries a significant political message for the current leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena UBT.
Historical Context of Breakaway
Both the SAD and Shiv Sena broke away from the NDA at different points in the past. Senior BJP leaders have consistently maintained that they never deserted any NDA ally, asserting that it was always the other way around. The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Akali Dal ended its 24-year alliance with the NDA in September 2020, triggered by the contentious agricultural laws that the Centre later withdrew. Similarly, Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena broke away from the NDA in 2019 over power-sharing differences after the BJP-Shiv Sena pre-poll coalition won the Maharashtra elections.
Current Political Landscape
Since the split, Uddhav's Sena faced another division when Eknath Shinde joined the NDA in mid-2022, leading to the fall of the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra. The Akali Dal has also lost ground in Punjab. In the 2022 Punjab elections, SAD was reduced to just three seats out of 117, recording its worst performance in history. The BJP won two seats out of the 65 it contested alone. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Akali Dal won only one seat, losing a massive base. Sukhbir Badal's wife, Harsimrat Badal, is the lone Akali Dal Lok Sabha MP currently representing Bathinda.
Political Message Ahead of Punjab Elections
Ahead of the Punjab elections in 2027, the BJP-led NDA resolution has sent a clear message to the Akali Dal that it continues to respect and honor Parkash Singh Badal's legacy. For Uddhav, the message is similar, with recent reports indicating that many of his MPs in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are in touch with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to join the NDA. Earlier, three major NDA constituents that had quit the coalition for various reasons—Nitish Kumar-led JDU, Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP, and AIADMK—have since returned to the NDA fold. However, the Akali Dal and Shiv Sena UBT continue to hold their own.
NDA Resolution on Founders
The resolution stated: 'Almost three decades ago, under the guidance of several leading lights like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, George Fernandes, Balasaheb Thackeray, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal, Sikandar Bakht, and several others, the NDA was formed to bring together diverse parties and people under the common mantra of India First.'
