return-of-sukhbir-was-foregone-conclusion

Sukhbir Singh Badal was once again unanimously “elected” president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, the second oldest political party in the country after the Congress.

 

Sukhbir’s election as the party president was a foregone conclusion. He did not even face a token challenge while getting elected as the party president. 

 

Though Sukhbir has managed to get himself “technically elected” as the president of the party through a due electoral process by an “electoral college”, the main challenge for him is to find acceptability among the panthic voters in general and the dissident/rebel leadership in particular.

 

A significant section of the panthic leadership, which broke away from his party, continues to work separately. This section includes leaders like Manpreet Singh Ayali, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and others.

 

Sukhbir was forced to resign under an Akal Takhat directive after he accepted certain mistakes committed during the Akali-BJP rule between 2007 and 2017. He resigned as the president of the party making way for Balwinder Singh Bhunder, a longtime Badal family loyalist, as the Acting President. Even at that time it was a foregone conclusion that Sukhbir had only taken a brief sabbatical.

 

Also read: Sukhbir Badal re-elected SAD president

 

In the meanwhile, the SAD launched the membership drive. Although the Akali Takhat had constituted a special committee for the purpose, the SAD disagreed with that citing the Election Commission of India guidelines for the political parties. The party went ahead with its own membership drive saying it was the mandatory requirement of the ECI. Otherwise, it added, the party ran the risk of getting derecognised.

 

The Akali Dal claimed to have made over 27 lakh members during the membership drive. The figure is strongly being disputed by the dissident leaders. These more than 27 lakh members chose about 500 delegates, who constituted the electoral college for electing the party president. Since there was no challenger for Sukhbir, he naturally became the party president.

 

The dissident group is yet to react to the election. Till the time of writing this piece, there was no reaction from the group. The reaction will obviously be along the expected lines since the dissident group does not recognise the membership drive of the party, which became the basis for Sukhbir’s election as the president. The dissident group has launched its own membership drive and claims that it has been doing so at the directions of the Akal Takhat. This is obvious indication of an imminent face off between the two groups.

 

Sukhbir does not appear to be in any mood of reconciliation towards this group. After getting “elected” as the president he accused the group in no ambiguous words that it was being propped up by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Without naming the BJP in this case, Sukhbir alleged that immediately after his party parted ways and left the National Democratic Alliance, they (meaning the BJP without naming it) tried to take control of the party and the SGPC.

 

He went on to suggest that while the BJP could not take control of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the SGPC, it took control of the three “Takhats”, meaning Akal Takhat, Takhat Damdama Saheb and Takhat Keshgarh Sahib. All the three Jathedars of these Takhats were sacked by the SGPC executive, which Sukhbir congratulated for “preventing the capture” of the holy Takhats.

 

Though Sukhbir did convey the message in no ambiguous terms that it was the BJP which had engineered the defections, he did not name the party. Even during his criticism, he maintained a balance thus making it obvious that the Akali Dal president was aware of his limitations and the possibility of the necessity of a re-alliance with the saffron party.

 

Whatever Sukhbir said today about the BJP, without naming it, he realises very well that his party’s comeback of its own is next to impossible. Although as of now it looks highly unlikely particularly after the fierce and aggressive speech delivered by party MP and Sukhbir’s wife Ms Harsimrat Kaur Badal in the parliament while opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill, a future realignment cannot be ruled out. Because, the Akali Dal under current circumstances does not have many options for alliance, which is a must for its comeback.

 

Alliance aside, the party will have to strengthen itself. In terms of vote share, based on the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Shiromani Akali Dal was in fourth place, way behind the Congress, the AAP and the BJP in the same order. During the General Elections, the party was united and there was no rebellion. Since then the party has further grown weak.

 

Added to that are the external challenges within the panthic politics that the Akali Dal has to confront, like the radical elements. Till now, the radicals had remained mostly marginalised. Simranjit Singh Mann used to be their lone voice. Now the radicals have two elected Lok Sabha MPs from Faridkot and Tarn Taran. They have formed their own political party, Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), which remains to be an important political force as of now.

 

Sukhbir never had any problem among his loyalists. His “election” as the SAD president was a mere formality, which the party completed. The issue is public alienation and disillusionment with the Badal family. With his return the situation for the Shiromani Akali Dal is “back to square one”, with Sukhbir becoming the president once again.

 

Akali Dal’s woes in general and Sukhbir’s in particular are far from over. They will have to go a long way before any resolution of the issue comes into sight.  Sukhbir’s “election” as the party president really does not mean much, at this stage.