Unity among different Akali groups is possible only if Sukhbir Singh Badal resigns from the post of president of the Shiromani Akali Dal.Gurpartap Singh Wadala, secretary general of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), said this in an exclusive interview for the Decode Punjab show with The Tribune. Wadala admitted that talks for an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were ongoing, but said the saffron party must give something special to Punjabis, especially Sikhs, to earn their faith.“An alliance is a far cry, but we are inching towards it. Yes, talks have taken place not just with the BJP but also with the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD and the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) led by Amritpal Singh. However, the problem is that some leaders have to sacrifice individual goals and work for the progress of the Sikh Panth,” he said.“We have seen the Congress and AAP governments, and it seems the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, wants to do something for the state. We think they should be given a chance, but that is possible only if they address Sikh and Punjab issues sooner rather than later, as elections are just a few months away. The issues confronting Punjab include reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor, ensuring farmers’ security and progress, resolving river water disputes, transferring Chandigarh to Punjab and securing the release of Bandi Sikhs,” he said.Wadala said the SAD had several opportunities to settle the issues of the state when the BJP needed its support at the Centre. “Those chances were lost as the Badals preferred personal growth over the party and the state. Now, we are standing at the same threshold again,” he added.The SAD (Punar Surjit) leader said talks with Waris Punjab De had been renewed. “Our agenda is to take up the issues of Punjab and not Khalistan. We have made this clear. We asked Sukhbir Badal earlier also, and we reiterate now, that he has to leave the post of party president and let someone else chosen by the Panth run the party. He can still be a candidate for the CM’s post if all parties agree on it after the elections. We don’t have any problem with that. We have told Waris Punjab De also that they can claim the CM’s post, but only after the elections. They wanted us to declare a CM face earlier,” he said.“The SAD (Punar Surjit) is trying to get the Akali symbol – the scales. But if we don’t get it, we will try to get a symbol that reflects Panthic thoughts and our moderate brand of politics,” said Wadala. He added that the seat-sharing ratio with the BJP and other Akali Dals was yet to be worked out. “We are trying to work for a common agenda before adjusting the seats,” he said.