The Akali Dal is likely to perform 'no better' than what it did in the 1926 Lok Sabha polls. The Akali Dal-BSP alliance had won 11 of the 13 seats in the State. However, the alliance was a short-lived one, and the Akali Dal found a new partner in the BJP, despite ideological differences between the two.

As of today, the contest will be primarily between the Akali Dal-BJP combine and the Congress. The BSP, which has always remained unpredictable, could tilt the balance as the state has a fairly large Dalit population.

The BJP, which failed to open its account in the last elections, is expected to be the gainer because the party is a partner in the government. The BJP has considerable influence in urban constituencies like Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar. The contest could become interesting if Prime Minister I.K. Gujral decides to contest from the Jalandhar seat. The Akali Dal has publicly said that it will welcome Mr. Gujral's entry into the Lok Sabha from the State. However, the BJP leaders think otherwise. ... As far as the Left parties are concerned, it is still to be seen how they form a secular front to effectively take on the Akali-BJP combine ...