Badal is seeking to reintegrate influential Sikh leaders into the Akali Dal, aiming to strengthen the party before the Lok Sabha polls.
Following defeats in the past two Assembly elections, the Akalis are striving to bring together various factions in their fraternity. Despite the Shiromani Akali Dal›s independent stance for the forthcoming general elections, post its separation from the BJP-led NDA due to disputes over the three farm bills, Sukhvir Singh Badal is seeking to reintegrate influential Sikh leaders into the Akali Dal, aiming to strengthen the party before the Lok Sabha polls.
Manjeet Singh GK, former Delhi Gurdwara Committee head and Jago Party patron, has joined Badal›s party, along with other notable figures. His move to join the Shiromani Akali Dal marks a pivotal moment in Sikh politics. While the impact in Delhi and Punjab remains uncertain, Manjeet Singh GK›s decision follows his re-entry into the Akali Dal.
He said that Jaago Party has merged with Akali Dal without any conditions. “We need to unite to raise Sikh issues. All Sikhs need to be united.” Manjeet Singh GK was moved out of the party by Akali Dal in the year 2019 after being surrounded by corruption allegations.
Similarly, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa is also set to merge his party, Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt), into Shiromani Akali Dal on January 10. Dhindsa parted ways with SAD in 2018 while demanding the resignation of Sukhbir Badal over the party’s defeat in the 2017 assembly elections. This could once again open doors for the SAD to rejoin the BJP-led NDA, as Dhindsa’s party is in alliance with the BJP already, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has even praised his work, including calling him the true political heir of Prakash Singh Badal.
In Punjab, the ruling AAP, Congress, BJP, and SAD are all playing dominance politics. The Congress cadre is attempting to persuade the high command not to form an alliance with the AAP. According to a journalist covering Punjab politics, if the Congress does not reach an agreement with the AAP, the BJP will run in the Lok Sabha elections alone. On the other hand, if the Congress and AAP reach an arrangement, the BJP may also reach an agreement with the SAD.
Because, in such a case, the BJP would not enter the election arena alone. That is why the BJP is neither attempting to separate itself from Akali Dal nor attempting to pull it closer to itself. It is said that BJP state president Sunil Jakhar has stated that Shiromani Akali Dal must remain strong for Punjab. Because SAD is both a political and a religious party, Sikhs should have a forum to voice their opinions. However, because the BJP has already begun planning for the 2024 general elections, an alliance with the SAD seems unlikely.
According to an analyst, despite Sukhbir Badal›s efforts to unite all Akalis, the efforts need to be more aggressive in the state as voters have lost their faith in the grand old party. It has dropped to the third place with a low vote share, and the path to regaining its prior mandate is a long way for Akali Dal.