The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday, 17 October announced it will release its Punjab election manifesto on 1 November and launch a statewide yatra covering all assembly constituencies beginning 10 November from Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo. The dual announcement signals the party's formal entry into poll-mode ahead of the next Punjab assembly election.

Yatra Details and Phases

The statewide tour will be led by SAD president Sukhbir Badal and conducted in three phases. The first phase runs from 10 to 22 November, with the second phase set to be launched from Sri Anandpur Sahib and the third phase from Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The phased structure, anchoring each leg at a religiously and historically significant Sikh site, reflects the party's effort to consolidate its traditional voter base while reaching every constituency.

Manifesto Committee and Feedback Process

Senior SAD leader Daljit Cheema disclosed the roadmap after a series of internal meetings with the party's Scheduled Caste, Backward Class, and Youth wings, all of which were presided over by Badal. The meetings were aimed at gathering first-hand feedback on issues to be incorporated into the election manifesto, as well as reviewing party organisation. According to Cheema, inputs from these wings will be placed before the party's election manifesto committee on 24 October, ahead of the scheduled 1 November release.

SAD's Attacks on the AAP Government

Badal used the occasion to sharpen the party's offensive against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. He claimed that the arrest of Amardeep Grewal — described as the brother-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's wife Gurpreet Kaur — would expose what he alleged was corruption at the Chief Minister's residence.

Badal alleged: 'Be it Bhagwant Mann or his Arvind Kejriwal, the central agencies are closing in on all of them. All of them will be booked and will face the consequences of their corrupt acts.' He also alleged that Kejriwal and Mann had prepared a plan to extort industrialists, reportedly categorising them into those targeted for ₹2 crore and those for ₹5 crore. These are allegations made by the SAD and have not been independently verified.

Murder of Anti-Drug Activist Parvinder Singh Jhota

Badal alleged that Chief Minister Mann was directly responsible for the murder of anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota. He claimed that the AAP government's Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign was, contrary to its stated purpose, resulting in the killing of anti-drug activists and whistleblowers. The meeting passed a formal resolution condemning Jhota's murder and resolved to seek justice for his family. Badal also criticised Mann for reportedly seeking permission to travel to Paris at a time when the state was, in his words, facing a crisis, and questioned the Chief Minister's inability to attract foreign investment despite overseas trips. The AAP government is yet to respond formally to these specific allegations.