Assembly Elections 2022: SSP and SSM Form Alliance in Punjab; Chaduni Group on 10 Seats

Punjab assembly elections: The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) and the Samyukt Sangharsh Party (SSP) eventually decided to form an alliance in Punjab on Monday, after days of disagreements between their leaders ahead of the February 20 Assembly elections. 

According to leaders of both parties, the SSM, led by Balbir Singh Rajewal, has agreed to offer 10 seats to the SSP, led by Gurnam Singh Chaduni, in a combined election to the 117-member Punjab Assembly. They said that not forming an alliance would have sent the "wrong message to our supporters." 

"Both factions have decided to run in the forthcoming elections together." According to the agreement, the SSP will run for 10 seats, while the SSM will run for the remaining seats,” said senior SSM leader and former professor at Chandigarh’s Panjab University, Manjeet Singh. 

Rashpal Singh Jouramajra, Punjab president of the SSP, stated that the party's 10 candidates will most likely be released on Tuesday. 

"People are pleased with farmer groups' solidarity.  We are currently planning to release a joint election manifesto for the Punjab elections," Jouramajra stated. 

"We will focus on how Punjab's agriculture industry may be enhanced and crop diversification implemented to increase farmer income.  We intend to prepare specific clusters for each crop in various sections of the state. Different government agencies will be roped in to achieve this objective if the farm outfits form the next government in Punjab.” 

Rajewal and Chaduni are both renowned farm leaders who were instrumental in the recent protest over the three now-repealed farm laws. However, after beginning coalition discussions in Punjab, the two organizations became embroiled in a dispute over seat distribution. 

Chaduni said five days ago that the SSM had only granted them five seats although it had asked more. He said he warned Rajewal that unless the SSP received its "due share", it will be forced to fight the Punjab elections alone, which Rajewal described as a "pressure tactic" to obtain more seats.