Punjab: Ahead of LS polls, SAD ramps up efforts to galvanise Panthic factions, splinter groups

Ever since the SAD government, which was in power in Punjab in 2015 , was accused of mishandling the sacrilege incidents, its political image has taken a hit in the state

: With the electoral fortunes of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) nosediving following drubbing in the 2022 Punjab assembly elections and accusations of mishandling the 2015 sacrilege incidents, the party has stepped up efforts to unite the Panthic factions and splinter groups to salvage its political image and increase prospects during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Punjab: Ahead of LS polls, SAD ramps up efforts to galvanise Panthic factions, splinter groups

Ever since the SAD government, which was in power in Punjab in 2015 , was accused of mishandling the sacrilege incidents, its political image has taken a hit in the state.

In the 2017 Punjab assembly elections that followed, SAD could only win 18 seats in the 117-member House. Five years later in 2022, it could only secure three seats.

The party could only get two Lok Sabha seats, represented by Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, in 2019 despite its alliance with the BJP, which swept the polls across the country for a historic victory.

SAD ended its alliance with the BJP in 2020 over the three contentious farm bills. Ever since, SAD has been in political oblivion at the national level as it is neither a part of the NDA nor in the opposition India bloc.

On December 14, eight years after sacrilege incidents, SAD chief Sukhbir apologised to the Sikh community for failing to prevent the 2015 Bargari sacrilege incident and nab the culprits when his party was ruling the state in alliance with the BJP.

“I regret that the sacrilege took place during our rule. The sangat (community) is enraged over the fact that it happened during ‘Panthic sarkar’. Standing in front of the Akal Takht, as chief volunteer of the SAD, I would like to apologise to Guru Maharaja and Panth, in case anyone was hurt by any of our actions during our government,” Sukhbir said while addressing a gathering during the 103rd foundation day of the party in Amritsar.

The sacrilege case pertains to the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book), in a gurdwara in Bargari village of Faridkot district.

Sukhbir address also appealed for all the breakaway factions to unite under one umbrella.

Dhindsa likely to merge party with SAD

The apology had an immediate effect. First to react was Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa of Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt). In a meeting on December 23, SAD (Sanyukt) formed a panel to look into the possibility of a merger with SAD.

Party insiders said Dhindsa has already made up his mind to merge his party with SAD and right now discussions are taking place to get a suitable place for his party leadership in SAD.

“The backdoor channels through SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra are already working to work out a merger and suitably adjust the Dhindsa faction leaders. Another prominent SAD leader Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was expelled, has also been approached to return to the party fold,” a party leader, who didn’t wish to be named, said.

Dhindsa was part of the BJP alliance in the 2022 assembly polls, which BJP fought in league with former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

Speculations of an SAD-BJP alliance

Meanwhile, speculations over an SAD-BJP alliance too have started doing the rounds again.

“One thing is very clear that Dhindsa is now much closer to BJP than to Sukhbir. Thus, his plan to merge the party with SAD is also an indication of the revival of the SAD-BJP alliance. At present, BJP is not keen on this alliance,” the above-quoted party leader said.

On the SAD-BJP alliance, a party leader said former IPS officer Iqbal Singh Lalpura, who is chairman of the minority commission, is also in the picture and is said to be “working behind the scenes to remove bottlenecks for a SAD-BJP alliance”. Once Dhindsa is back in SAD, he will also work for the alliance, the leader added.

“The idea is to reunite all factions of SAD to emerge as the sole representative of Sikhs, a minority. Once unity is achieved, there is a strong possibility of alliance with BJP,” admitted an Akali Dal leader, though SAD president Sukhbir has publically remained evasive on the issue by citing that SAD already has an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

SAD got another shot in the arm when ex-DGMC president Manjit Singh GK, a veteran leader, re-joined SAD in the presence of Sukhbir in Delhi. He was expelled on May 26, 2019, days after the ex-DSGMC chief questioned the party leadership over its poor show in the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab.

Prof Ronki Ram, professor of Political Science, Panjab University, said that SAD’s unity with Panthic factions and splinter gorups will be beneficial only if they have an alliance with BJP. Otherwise, neither BJP nor a united SAD won’t have any major chances in the state in Lok Sabha polls.

However, if BJP ties up, they will dictate terms to SAD and the division of votes will go in favour of Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, he said.

AAP, Cong criticise SAD

AAP Spokesman Malwinder Singh Kang said that apology by Sukhbir won’t work as public is still angry over the misrule and corruption during the SAD regime. Punjabis have not forgotten how the SAD had mishandled the sacrilege issue. There is no impact of Akali unity in Punjab, as both Dhindsa and Sukhbir are rejected by masses and have lost credibility.

Congress state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring dubbed the Akali unity and any possible tie up with the BJP as ‘marriage of conveniences’. Sukhbir has lost the entire political clout, thus it is eager to patch up with anyone at any cost. The public is still angry over the SAD-BJP for their failure on sacrilege incidents. When in 2014 and 2019, BJP swept the nation, both SAD and BJP were rejected by voters in Punjab, he added.