SAD STRUGGLES FOR SURVIVAL IN PUNJAB

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), one of the oldest political parties in India and once a formidable force in Punjab, is now facing its worst-ever crisis.

- NEERAJ MOHAN CHANDIGARH

Infighting, growing religious controversies, large-scale desertions, and a leadership crisis have brought the party to the brink, posing an uphill task for Sukhbir Singh Badal to put the house in order ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Reeling from back-to-back electoral defeats in 2017 and 2022, the SAD is in turmoil. Even the death of SAD patriarch and five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has added to the woes, leading to the exodus of Badal loyalists. The loss of his towering leadership has deepened the fissures within the party, with growing questions about Sukhbir Badal's ability to lead.

The SAD faces challenges due to the mass exodus of loyalists, internal rebellions, and the emergence of new Panthic players, which may weaken the party's grip on its traditional vote bank.

The latest flashpoint in the SAD crisis is the open rebellion by senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia, the brother-in-law of Sukhbir Badal. Majithia publicly condemned the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) controversial decision to remove key Jathedars—Giani Raghbir Singh and Giani Sultan Singh—further widening cracks within the party's top ranks.

The ousted Jathedars had previously declared Sukhbir Badal 'Tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) and revoked the 'Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Quam' title awarded to Parkash Singh Badal. Many Sikh groups, both in India and abroad, have condemned this move, viewing it as an attempt by SAD to manipulate Sikh institutions for political gain.