Is SAD breaking up in Punjab? Rebels say Badal to blame, Badals say it's BJP's doing

A new political tension is simmering in Punjab where some of the senior leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) skipped a crucial meeting convened by party president Sukhbir Badal in Chandigarh. Those who did not show up, held their own separate meeting in Jalandhar where they pitched for a change in the party after its debacle in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

‘Badal never listens to us’

After the meeting in Jalandhar, the rebel leaders announced that they would be launching a “SAD bachao” movement in July as they asserted that the party has “fallen from the sky to the ground.”

The Jalandhar meeting was attended by Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sikander Singh Maluka, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sarwan Singh Phillaur among others.

Bibi Jagir Kaur, a rebel leader, alleged that they tried to speak to SAD chief Sukbhir Singh Badal and highlighted the situation of all the supporters, “but he never listens to us.”

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“He does not try to rectify the shortcomings,” Bibi Jagir Kaur was quoted as saying by ANI.

‘Badal should ’tyag’ the SAD’s charge’

As per reports, some of the senior leaders of SAD have also urged Badal to hand over the party’s charge in the spirit of “tyag” (sacrifice) to someone “who can maintain a balance between religion and politics.”

Interestingly, all these turn of events within SAD are taking place in less than a month after the party’s poor show in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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‘Deep rooted conspiracy of BJP’

On the other hand, the faction loyal to Badal passed a resolution expressing “full faith” in his leadership and strongly condemning “deep rooted conspiracies by BJP” to divide and weaken the party by using central agencies and “some selfish and opportunistic elements”.

According to a report by Times of India, 33 of the existing 35 district presidents and 96 of the existing 105 constituency in-charges lauded Badal’s leadership.

“I cannot allow SAD to become a puppet of anti-Panth designs. Those ready to betray Panth, Punjab, farmers and the deprived sections of the people are free to follow their course,” Badal said during the meeting in Chandigarh.

‘BJP stooges trying to break the party’ 

Talking to media in New Delhi, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, on Wednesday, said that some of the “stooges of the BJP are trying to break the party”.

“They want to do the same as they did in Maharashtra. The SAD is united and they are going to fail. Out of the 117 leaders, only five are against Sukhbir Badal, while 112 leaders are standing with the party and Sukhbir Badal,” Harsimrat Kaur Badal said.

‘Frustrated elements sponsored by BJP’

Reacting to the rebel leaders’ meeting in Jalandhar, SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the “frustrated elements sponsored by the BJP” were trying to “weaken” the party.

Cheema further said the rebel leaders should have waited for the working committee meeting on Wednesday before holding a separate meeting.

“In a democracy, there is always a difference of opinion… If one or two people have a difference of opinion, then it is not a revolt,” he said.

Cheema went on to say that the idea of holding a separate meeting looked “preplanned”. “It looks as if you are not interested in the improvement or the upliftment of the party, and you said something just because you wanted to. Otherwise, there was a need to wait. They should have participated and listened to what others had to say. After that, they could have presented their view,” he added.

With inputs from agencies