Sukhbir Singh Badal Returns as Shiromani Akali Dal President

Sukhbir Singh Badal Returns as Shiromani Akali Dal President

The re-election of Sukhbir Badal comes at a time when the SAD is facing declining political fortunes in Punjab.

RMN News by Rakesh Raman

Sukhbir Singh Badal has been re-elected as the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). This marks his return to the top post of the party just five months after resigning due to religious misconduct. The re-election was unopposed, with 524 delegates from Punjab and other states casting their votes.

Badal, who first took over as SAD chief in 2008, succeeding his father Prakash Singh Badal, had been leading the party until his resignation last year. Following his resignation, Sukhbir Singh Badal underwent a religious punishment, or ‘tankhah’, a process that was completed before his re-election. 

He had stepped down in November after being declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht for “mistakes” committed by the SAD and its government in Punjab between 2007 and 2017. The party accepted his resignation in January.

The re-election of Sukhbir Badal comes at a time when the SAD is facing declining political fortunes in Punjab. The party’s current legislative strength is limited to just two MLAs. 

In an attempt to rebuild his image and the party’s standing, supporters have launched an aggressive online campaign branding him as a “vikas purush” (development man). The campaign has also introduced a new slogan – “Punjab di pukar, Sukhbir di sarkar”, positioning him as the answer to Punjab’s governance challenges. This online drive is seen as an attempt to reclaim lost ground in Punjab’s political landscape.

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Interestingly, the SAD’s two sitting MLAs reflect different factions within the party. One, Ganieve Kaur, wife of former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, is seen as a loyalist of the Badal camp. 

The other, Manpreet Singh Ayali, has openly supported the “Sudhar Lehar” (reform movement), a faction pushing for internal changes in the party’s structure and leadership style. This internal dissent remains a challenge for the party’s leadership as it attempts a revival.

Following his re-election, the SAD will hold a political conference on April 13 at Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), where the party chief is expected to deliver an address. This event is likely to be a crucial step in the party’s efforts to reconnect with its support base and outline its future strategy under Sukhbir Singh Badal’s leadership.