Senior leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sikander Singh Maluka, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, and Sarwan Singh Phillaur — have raised a banner of revolt against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal by launching the Akali Dal Bachao Lehar in Jalandhar. Following a five-hour meeting to discuss the future of the party, these leaders demanded that Sukhbir step down as SAD chief. Chandumajra emphasized that the party needs a leader with strong political and religious acumen.
The dissenting leaders deliberately missed a meeting of halqa in-charges convened by Sukhbir in Chandigarh. In response, Sukhbir described the Jalandhar meeting as an attempt to weaken the Panthic force of the Shiromani Akali Dal.
This internal turmoil comes ahead of the Jalandhar West assembly by-election scheduled for July 10, along with four more upcoming elections in Gidderbaha, Chabbewal, Barnala, and Dera Baba Nanak.
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In the June 1 Lok Sabha elections, the SAD contested 13 seats in Punjab but managed to win only one — Bathinda, retained by Sukhbir Badal’s wife, Harsimrat. Meanwhile, the SAD’s former ally, BJP, increased its vote share to 18.52%, up from 9.63% in 2019. Since the Lok Sabha results, the SAD has faced criticism over the Amritpal issue and calls for internal reforms.
Leaders like Dhindsa, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and Manpreet Singh Ayali have voiced concerns about the party’s continuous poor performance in elections, including the assembly polls in 2017 and 2022, and the recent parliamentary election. Dhindsa highlighted the need for serious introspection to save the party’s existence, while Ayali demanded the implementation of the Jhundan committee’s recommendations, threatening to withdraw from party affairs if ignored. Bibi Jagir Kaur stressed the urgency for corrective measures, lamenting the loss of public confidence in a party historically associated with martyrs.
