Chandigarh:

The Shiromani Akali Dal at one of its lowest points today, a section within the party is calling for introspection and a reboot, preferably with a new leader. The section — including Sikandar S Maluka, Surjit S Rakhra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Prem S Chandumajra and others — skipped a crucial party meeting in Chandigarh to hold a huddle of their own in Jalandhar.

“Today it was discussed seriously why Akali Dal has become so weak… A change in the party is necessary to bring it back to the old path,” said senior leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, signalling the need for the leadership, to take responsibility. .

“I appeal to party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to not ignore the sentiments of the workers, but to understand them. The party will take a decision in view of the Lok Sabha Election results,” he added. The leadership of the Akali Dal has been in the hands of the Badal family for decades.

“On July 1, all of us Akali leaders will bow down in Sri Akal Takht Sahib. From there that day, we will start the Shiromani Akali Dal Bachao Lehar. We will include senior leaders of the Akali Dal in this journey,” he added. The group is calling the rejuvenation campaign the “Akali Dal Bachao Abhiyan”.

The Akali Dal, out of power for over one term, is finding the path back to spotlight tough. In 2020, it left the alliance with the BJP over the farm law issue to retain its core constituency — the farmers of the state.

But the farmers were not placated and in 2022, the SAD posted one of its worst performances in the assembly election. The party won only three of Punjab’s 117 seats and the Congress 18. AAP swept the election, winning 92 seats.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in Punjab, the Akali Dal could hold onto just one seat — Bathinda of the Harsimrat Kaur Badal — down from two in 2019. The Congress won seven of the state’s 13 seats and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party three.

Its back to the wall, the party is now contemplating on some serious damage control ahead of a crucial by-election next month.

On July 10, by-polls are due in the Jalandhar West assembly seat. By-polls for four more seats — Gidderbaha, Chabbewal, Barnala and Dera Baba Nanak – will also be held over the coming days.

The Akali Dal, however, has called the rebel leaders “frustrated elements sponsored by the BJP” to weaken it.

Chandigarh:

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday said that he will not fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Badal said this after holding a day-long meeting with the party leaders, district party presidents and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members here to discuss candidates for the parliamentary seats of the state.

When asked whether he will fight the parliamentary elections, Mr Badal, who is the MP from Ferozepur seat, said, “I am not fighting the elections.” Replying to another question, he said that consultation on the names of probable candidates was underway.

After the completion of the consultation process, the names of candidates will be announced, he said.

“We held the meeting for six parliamentary seats here in which district president, ‘halqa’ incharges, SGPC members were called and their views were taken,” he replied to another question.

The names of former ministers Anil Joshi, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu are doing the rounds from Amritsar, Sangrur and Jalandhar (reserve) seats respectively, said party sources.

Last month, the BJP had announced that it would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own in Punjab, indicating an end to the negotiations for re-stitching an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal.

At that time, Mr Badal had said that principles are more important for his party “than the number game”.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had walked out of the BJP-led NDA in September 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. The two parties had formed an alliance in 1996. In 2019, the SAD and the BJP won two Lok Sabha seats each in Punjab.

Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parambans Singh Romana was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sharing a “morphed” video clip of a Punjabi singer purportedly making objectionable remarks against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, police said.

According to an FIR registered against Mr Romana at the Mataur police station in Mohali, the SAD general secretary shared the video of singer Kanwar Grewal to “harm the reputation” of the Punjab chief minister for political gains.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders condemned the arrest and several party workers held a protest outside the office of Mohali senior superintendent of police.

Mr Romana also accused Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of trying to suppress the voice of people while his party dubbed the arrest as a political vendetta.

AAP leader Malvinder Singh Kang attacked the SAD over the incident and accused the opposition party of indulging in low-level politics.

“No matter how many false videos the Akali Dal leaders spread, people of Punjab are never going to believe the Badal family again,” he added.

After the video was shared on the social media platform X, Mr Grewal released a video message alleging somebody altered the audio of one of his stage performances to show him making derogatory remarks against the chief minister.

The singer claimed the voice heard in the video clip was not his and it was doctored.

Mr Badal, meanwhile, submitted a complaint to Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg against Chief Minister Mann for allegedly uploading several morphed and defamatory videos from his official social media handle and demanded immediate action against him.

He added that the video on the basis of which Mr Romana was arrested has been in circulation since 2016 and many political leaders have uploaded it on their pages.

“Action should be taken against the person who morphed the video and not Mr Romana,” the SAD leader said.

Mr Badal also alleged that the Punjab Police was acting “like a stooge” of the chief minister.

“AAP and its top leadership regularly upload morphed videos as well as defamatory content on social media against us. Police should register cases against them, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as per our complaint,” he said.

The case against Mr Romana was registered under various sections, including 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for harming reputation), 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology Act, police said.

The FIR was registered on a complaint filed by Inspector Sandeep Singh, Cyber Crime Mohali.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hoshiarpur:

 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Surjit Singh was allegedly shot dead by two unidentified assailants on Thursday evening, police said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Talwinder Singh said that the incident occurred when the deceased leader was sitting outside a grocery shop in a nearby locality.

“Around 7 PM, Surjit Singh was sitting outside a grocery shop in his locality. Two persons came on a bike and shot four rounds of fire towards Surjit Singh. He was taken to a civil hospital where he was declared brought dead.”

SAD leader Surjit Singh was a former Sarpanch of Megowal Ganjian village and currently his wife is holding the same position.

Police said that the reason behind the murder incident is unknown and a search for the unidentified assailants is ongoing. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)