Amritsar: A major showdown in Punjab’s Sikh politics is set to unfold today as a breakaway faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), backed by the Akal Takht’s five-member Bharti Committee, convenes in Amritsar to choose a new party president for what they are calling the “revived” Akali Dal.
The meeting, taking place at Burj Akali Phoola Singh, is being presented by dissidents as the rebirth of the “true” SAD — a direct challenge to the long-standing leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal, who they accuse of leading the party into political decline and defying key religious directives from the Akal Takht.
New Faces Poised for Leadership Roles
Rebel organiser Surjit Singh Rakhra announced on Sunday that Giani Harpreet Singh, former acting jathedar of the Akal Takht, is expected to head the political wing, while Bibi Satwant Kaur will lead the Panthic Council, the faction’s religious body. Both figures command significant respect among Sikh constituencies — Harpreet Singh for his religious stature and Kaur for her legacy as the daughter of slain student leader Amrik Singh, who died alongside Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in 1984.
The Bharti Committee later stressed that these were personal suggestions, with final decisions resting on the delegates’ vote. Committee member Gurpartap Singh Wadala confirmed the meeting’s key goal: electing a president. Registration with the Election Commission (EC) will follow, possibly with a modified party name. “It will be the real Akali Dal,” Wadala insisted, citing the Akal Takht’s declaration that the current leadership has lost the moral authority to lead.
Two Camps, One Party Name
The official SAD, recognised by the EC and still led by Sukhbir Singh Badal, reinstalled him as president in April after a fresh membership drive. His loyalists maintain that no splinter group can legally use the SAD name and have dismissed the Bharti Committee’s legitimacy.
Rebels counter that the Akal Takht’s December 2024 hukamnama, calling for fresh membership and unity across factions, gives them the religious mandate to act. They launched their own membership drive in March and claim more than 14 lakh supporters.
Roots of the Revolt
Sukhbir Singh Badal’s critics point to the party’s dramatic fall from two consecutive terms in power with the BJP to a meagre three seats in the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls. The Akal Takht’s decision last year to declare him tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) only deepened the discontent.
Figures like Giani Harpreet Singh, who was involved in that ruling, bring both religious legitimacy and political ambitions to the rebels’ side. Satwant Kaur’s symbolic importance as a link to the Panth’s historic struggles further strengthens their pitch for change.
What’s at Stake
The Akal Takht initially set up a seven-member panel to oversee the SAD’s reorganisation, later reduced to five after resignations. Today’s meeting could cement the divide or open a path to reunification, with potential ripple effects for Punjab’s electoral alliances.
Political analysts suggest that whichever side emerges stronger could determine whether the BJP finds a new partner in the state. The outcome will not only shape the future of the SAD but could significantly alter Punjab’s political chessboard in the months ahead.
