BJP to contest Punjab assembly polls alone, no alliance with Akali Dal: Union minister Bittu

CHANDIGARH: With fifteen months left for the assembly elections in Punjab, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu ruled out any possibility of an alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), asserting that the BJP will contest all seats alone. Talking to the media here on Wednesday, Bittu said the party is confident of its growing strength in Punjab and will go solo in the electoral battle. The BJP will not form any alliance with the Akali Dal. We will contest the 2027 assembly polls on our own, he declared. The minister also commented on the ongoing student protests at Panjab University over the Senate elections, stating that the Centre has accepted nearly all student demands except for the announcement of the election dates. He added that the Vice Chancellor has already written to the Chancellor requesting the declaration of the schedule, which is expected soon. Meanwhile, days after sanctioning the Rajpura-Mohali railway link, the Railway Ministry has cleared another key project -- the 25.72-km-long Ferozepur-Patti rail line at an estimated cost of Rs 764.19 crore including Rs 166 crore towards land acquisition to be borne by the Railways. Bittu said that the project holds strategic and economic importance, significantly reducing the distance between Ferozepur and Amritsar from 196 km to about 100 km, and shortening the JammuFerozepurFazilkaMumbai corridor by 236 km. It will serve as a crucial link between the Malwa and Majha regions of Punjab, enhancing regional mobility and logistics efficiency. He added that the new rail line will connect the JalandharFerozepur and PattiKhemkaran routes, providing a direct and alternative connection close to the international border. Passing through areas of strategic defence significance, it will facilitate rapid movement of defence personnel, equipment, and supplies. Bittu said that beyond strategic benefits, the project promises significant socio-economic gains, benefiting nearly 10 lakh people and creating approximately 2.5 lakh employment opportunities. It will serve 2,5003,500 daily passengers, particularly students, employees, and patients from nearby villages. The rail link will spur trade and industrial growth, reduce freight transportation costs, and improve access to agricultural markets, thereby boosting investment in education, healthcare, and essential infrastructure. It will also link Amritsar, a major commercial, educational, and religious hub attracting over one lakh tourists daily, with Ferozepur, ensuring faster connectivity and stronger regional integration. Importantly, the new alignment will revive a historic route lost during partition, reducing the FerozepurKhemkaran distance from 294 km to 110 km. The line will also connect the border district directly with ports in Gujarat, giving a significant boost to trade in the region. Bittu accused the state government of delaying progress on the FerozepurPatti Rail Link Project by allegedly failing to respond to a letter from the Centre regarding land acquisition and implementation. This project was cleared on October 27, and the very next day, we sent a letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary, urging the state government to step up efforts for implementation and expedite land acquisition. We specifically requested the AAP government not to create further hurdles and to direct its officers to act swiftly. It has now been 14 days, and we have not received any response from the Punjab Chief Secretary. I do not want to go further into it as I want to maintain a positive approach towards this project, he said.