Amritsar/Chandigarh, April 12: Sukhbir Singh Badal was unanimously re-elected president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday, marking his formal return to the top post of the century-old party amid internal discord and ongoing questions over the party’s leadership and direction.
His re-election was announced in Amritsar after senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar proposed his name. Addressing party workers, Mr. Badal asserted that he would not compromise on the dignity of the Panth, Punjab, or the Shiromani Akali Dal. “Over the past six months, a conspiracy was underway to finish off the SAD and its leadership. It began when we walked out of the NDA in support of farmers,” he said.
This return, however, comes in the shadow of a religious reprimand. Mr. Badal had stepped down from the presidency in November last year following a directive from the Akal Takht, which found him and other SAD leaders guilty of religious misconduct during their tenure in government between 2007 and 2017. The top Sikh temporal authority on December 2, 2023, issued religious punishment and instructed the party’s working committee to accept Mr. Badal’s resignation and conduct fresh internal elections through a newly constituted committee.
Rebel Akali leaders accused the Badal-led faction of undermining these directions. “He has become president of only one faction—the Badal group,” said former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra. “The Akal Takht made a sincere effort to bring Akalis together, but by holding this parallel election, the Badal faction has struck a blow to Panthic unity. Our membership drive is progressing, and in the days to come, pro-Panth, pro-Punjab voices will gather strength.”
Sukhbir Badal first became SAD president in 2008 and served as Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister from 2009 to 2017. His political profile peaked during the 2012 Assembly elections, when he helped the SAD-BJP alliance secure a second consecutive term—a historic first for Punjab. His push for development-centric politics and broadening the party’s appeal was credited for that victory. However, by 2017, when the alliance was voted out, senior leaders began attributing the party’s decline to Mr. Badal’s leadership style.
Since then, SAD has faced mounting internal challenges, including criticism over its response to sacrilege incidents and its decision to part ways with the BJP. The Akal Takht’s recent reprimand served as both a symbolic and organizational setback, and the latest election risks deepening divisions.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also weighed in, dismissing the re-election as a farce. “When did he resign?” he asked. “It was merely a sabbatical for family time. He was still calling the shots.”
Despite the criticism, Mr. Badal’s supporters view his return as necessary for stabilizing the party and preparing for future electoral battles. Still, observers say the road ahead remains uncertain, as SAD continues to navigate its internal rifts, strained Panthic relations, and a shifting political landscape in Punjab.
