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A ‘Badal’ over Akali revival in Punjab

Sukhbir Singh Badal and his colleagues in Shiromani Akali Dal may have finished the atonement prescribed by the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs. However, it may be a case of too little, too late for Badal who confronts a sceptical electorate. Even SAD may stand no chance if it avoids a leadership change

December 16, 2024 / 09:21 IST
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Shiromani Akali Dal supremo Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal supremo Sukhbir Singh Badal and several other Akali Dal leaders have completed the 10-day tankhah (religious punishment). If the Akali Dal, especially Badal, felt remorseful about earlier events -- the apology handed to Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim, mishandling the 2015 sacrilege cases, and the subsequent Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing on the protesters --the atonement could be termed just right. However, if the party, and especially Badal, are indirectly seeking political rewards in the near future, they are mistaken.

This leaves us with the crucial question. Given the assassination bid on Badal and the buzz about the potential sympathy he might gain out of it, would the political landscape of Punjab see any change? Would there be a dramatic shift or will the post-2022 assembly elections status-quo persist- the shrinking of Akali Dal and the expansion of other political parties, mainly Aam Aadmi Party and to some extent even the Bharatiya Janata Party?

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Akali cadre leave in droves

Let’s look at the main political parties beginning with the BJP which was once the younger alliance partner of the Akali Dal in the state. The saffron party may not see any promise in the near future in Punjab but it has made huge strides in terms of gain in vote percentage in the Lok Sabha polls 2024 and also in the recent by-polls held for four assembly seats.