Kartarpur, Feb 14: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal appointed former Jalandhar MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee as the halqa incharge for the Kartarpur assembly constituency on Friday. The decision was made public during the party president’s visit to the town, where he signaled a strategic shift for the seat previously contested by alliance partners.
The appointment comes as the SAD seeks a stable leadership presence in a segment that was allocated to the BSP during the 2024 assembly elections. “Mohinder Singh Kaypee is an experienced leader who understands the pulse of the region,” Badal said during the announcement. He noted that the party is focused on consolidating its grassroots strength ahead of future electoral challenges.
Kaypee, a prominent Dalit face and three-time former MLA, joined the Akali Dal ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after leaving the Congress. Despite finishing fourth in the Jalandhar parliamentary race, his deep political roots in the Doaba region remain a focal point for the SAD leadership. His father, Darshan Singh Kaypee, was a former minister who was killed by terrorists, and the family has a long-standing political legacy in the area.
Internal party dynamics were evident during the announcement as former incharge Paramjit Reru and former SAD chief Kulwant S Manan were absent from the event. The party had previously relied on Seth Satpal Mal in the region, but leadership changes became necessary after his tenure did not meet expectations. Insiders mentioned that Badal also gathered local feedback from Pattar Kalan, the village of his daughter’s in-laws, before finalizing the veteran leader’s name.
