Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) chief and former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Saturday said his party was open to an alliance with the BJP, but only if it was based on a clearly defined agenda concerning Punjab and the Sikh Panth.Addressing a press conference at Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Bhawan, Singh said talks with the BJP were on.“We are open to an alliance, but it will be agenda-based. The BJP is free to form an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) if it wishes to, but we have made it clear that we will not be part of any alliance with the party led by the Badal family — Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal,” he said.The development assumes significance as it marked the first occasion that the SAD Punar Surjit faction openly acknowledged talks regarding a possible alliance with the BJP. So far, the breakaway faction, which is opposed to the Badal leadership, had either evaded questions about backchannel talks or forthright denied discussions.The leader of the breakaway faction said the party had no issue with the SAD as an organisation, but alleged that it had been reduced to a family-run outfit. “We are against the family because, while in power, they turned their back on the Akal Takht,” he said.‘Attack on Sukhbir unjustified’Commenting on the attack on Sukhbir Badal, Harpreet Singh said, “The attack cannot be justified, but our history has examples where people like Massa Ranghar were also attacked.”According to Sikh historical accounts, Massa Ranghar was appointed the commandant of Amritsar by Lahore Governor Zakariya Khan Bahadur in the 1740. He is remembered in Sikh history for using the precincts of the Golden Temple for amusement and committing acts regarded as sacrilegious. He was subsequently assassinated by Sikh warriors Mehtab Singh and Sukha Singh in retaliation for the desecration of the shrine.