The recent rural body elections in Punjab have provided a much-needed glimmer of hope for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) under the leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal. While the party did not secure victory in the December 14 zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls, its performance, particularly in the Malwa region, suggests a potential halt in the erosion of its traditional voter base and offers a political reprieve after a series of setbacks.
A Sigh of Relief for Sukhbir Badal's SAD
For Sukhbir Singh Badal, the results come as a significant development amidst a prolonged crisis marked by the fragmentation of the Akali voter base. The party emerged as the runner-up in the Tarn Taran by-election and secured a notable position in the rural polls, indicating that its core support might be stabilizing. Crucially, SAD managed to retain its perception as the dominant force in the Panthic political space, a vital narrative for its survival.
In the panchayat samiti elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 689 seats across Punjab. However, SAD secured a strong second position with 327 seats, finishing well ahead of the Congress, which got 250 seats, and the BJP with only 28. This trend was mirrored in the zila parishad polls in the Malwa region, where SAD won 39 seats. AAP led with 109 seats, while Congress trailed with 26. It is important to note that this recovery was largely confined to Malwa, as the party could not replicate this performance in Majha, Doaba, or Puadh regions.
Internal Strife Plagues SAD (Revived)
The elections also exposed deep internal contradictions within the breakaway faction, SAD (Revived), led by Giani Harpreet Singh. The group failed to present a united front or function as an effective election machine. A significant handicap was the lack of a common election symbol, forcing candidates to run as independents.
The discord became public when the party's senior vice-president and Dakha MLA, Manpreet Singh Ayali, openly stated on December 18 that Giani Harpreet Singh was "not acceptable" to the people. He claimed public acceptance only for Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh and Panthic Council head Satwant Singh. Ayali's campaign material notably omitted Giani Harpreet Singh's photos, featuring instead images of Amritpal Singh and Satwant Singh.
Following the controversy, Ayali issued a clarification on social media platform X, denying any disagreements with SAD (Revived) leaders. He stated his commitment to Panthic unity in line with the Akal Takht's orders but admitted to not having actively participated in the party's activities so far. His absence from a key party meeting in Chandigarh further highlighted the rift.
Implications for Punjab's Political Landscape
The results signal several key shifts. Firstly, a section of AAP's Sikh voter base in Malwa appears to be shifting back to the Sukhbir-led SAD, suggesting that the strong anti-Badal sentiment that powered AAP's rise may be waning as other factors become decisive.
Secondly, the poor showing by SAD (Revived) and SAD (Waris Punjab De) worked in Sukhbir Badal's favour. Amritpal Singh's party, despite its gains in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, could not consolidate its position in these rural polls. This failure has arguably strengthened the main SAD's claim as the primary Panthic voice.
In a symbolic turn, Sukhbir Badal has also sought to reclaim the "dinosaurs" jibe—used by CM Bhagwant Mann and rivals to label SAD as outdated—and turned it into a rallying cry in his speeches. This narrative battle has intensified, with AAP and Congress responding by sharing AI-generated videos attacking Sukhbir.
Overall, while the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD is far from its former dominance, the December 2024 rural polls have provided a crucial breathing space and evidence that the party's political obituary may have been written prematurely.
