SAD Kicks Off Early Campaign for 2027 Punjab Assembly Elections with Aggressive Rally Strategy
In a significant political move, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), led by president Sukhbir Badal, has announced an early and comprehensive campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The party plans to launch a series of statewide rallies beginning in February, marking a strategic shift from internal organisational rebuilding to active grassroots mobilisation.
From Rebuilding to Mobilisation: SAD's Strategic Pivot
The decision was finalised during a crucial meeting of district presidents and constituency in-charges chaired by Sukhbir Badal on January 24. This gathering underscored the party's transition from a phase focused on appointing new leaders and strengthening its structure to one of visible political engagement. The Akali Dal aims to capitalise on its recent successes in the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections held in December, viewing them as a foundation for broader electoral revival.
Buoyed by its performance in the rural local body polls, where the party secured 445 Panchayat Samiti seats and 46 Zila Parishad seats, SAD managed to achieve outright majorities in the Sri Muktsar Sahib and Bathinda Zila Parishads, along with nine Panchayat Samitis. This outcome represents a notable recovery from the setbacks faced in the 2022 Assembly elections, where it won only three of 117 seats, and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, with just one of 13 seats.
Rally Blitz Focused on Malwa Region
The campaign will commence from Punjab's Malwa region, a traditional stronghold for the Akali Dal. Party leaders have outlined an ambitious schedule, intending to hold four rallies every week to project sustained momentum across the state in the coming months. A senior SAD leader confirmed, "Yes, you can say that we have started an early round ahead of the 2027 polls, and the momentum was geared up soon after the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls, in which the SAD performed really well."
This aggressive outreach is timed ahead of the upcoming urban local body elections, with polls for nine municipal corporations and 116 municipal councils slated for February. The party has already signalled its intent by naming Sarabjeet Singh Jhinjer, the Youth Akali Dal chief, as its candidate for the Ghanaur Assembly seat in Patiala district.
Vision and Promises for Punjab's Future
SAD spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema emphasised that the rallies will focus on the party's historical role in Punjab's development and its vision for the state's future. He highlighted achievements from successive SAD governments between 2007 and 2017, including:
- Ensuring a power surplus in the state
- Connecting major cities with four-lane roads
- Establishing new thermal plants and airports
- Overhauling rural infrastructure
Cheema criticised both the previous Congress government and the current Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration, stating, "It is a fact that both the previous Congress and the present AAP governments have failed to create a single new infrastructure project, due to which the state has suffered immensely. We are committed to restarting a new era of development and infrastructure creation to take Punjab forward."
The party had earlier signalled its 2027 campaign during the Maghi Mela political conference on January 14, where Sukhbir Badal announced several promises, such as free tubewell connections for farmers, Rs 10 lakh interest-free loans for youth, and waiver of road tax on motorcycles.
Political Reactions and Speculation
The Congress party has dismissed SAD's early campaign efforts, with Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring labelling the rallies as "ineffective." He pointed to past electoral performances, stating, "I don't think rallies really help Sukhbir Badal. He had big rallies even in the past, and everyone knows how miserably the Akalis performed in every election." Warring also raised concerns about alleged connections to criminal elements within the party.
Meanwhile, the Punjab BJP appeared unmoved by SAD's outreach. Party spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal remarked, "Every party has its own political programmes, so let them do their bit. It is an election year now and every political party will try to make the most of it. I really don't think the BJP has anything to worry about." The BJP has its own series of public programmes lined up, including awareness rallies on the Viksit Bharat mission and expected visits by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This early campaign launch occurs amid speculation about a potential renewed alliance between SAD and BJP, who ended their 25-year partnership in 2020 following protests over the now-scrapped farm laws. The Akali Dal's mobilisation efforts aim to project organisational strength across both urban and rural regions as Punjab's political landscape heats up ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
