Synopsis
Sukhbir Singh Badal has been re-elected as the President of Shiromani Akali Dal during a meeting at SGPC headquarters in Amritsar, marking a significant step in the party's revival efforts amidst its historical legacy and recent challenges.Key Takeaways
- Sukhbir Singh Badal re-elected as SAD President.
- Meeting held at SGPC headquarters in Amritsar.
- 500 representatives attended from all 117 constituencies.
- Significant turnaround following his previous resignation.
- SAD has a 105-year-old legacy.
Amritsar, April 12 (NationPress) In a crucial step to stabilize and revive the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Sukhbir Singh Badal has been re-elected as the party's President during a significant meeting at the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) headquarters in Amritsar on Saturday.
The election took place in the historic Teja Singh Samundri Hall — the administrative center of the SGPC — which saw participation from 500 representatives from all 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab.
Notably, Badal’s re-election was affirmed without a formal introduction by Working President Balwinder Singh Bhunder, indicating unanimous backing from the party members.
Badal’s return signifies a major turnaround after his resignation in November last year, following his being labeled 'tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct)' by the Shiromani Akali Dal.
His appeal for punishment against then Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh preceded his withdrawal from active leadership and eventual resignation in January.
During this interim, senior SAD leader Bhunder managed party operations as Acting President.
Badal was first elected as SAD President in December 2008, under the guidance of his father and former Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal. Initially lauded for modernizing party functions, Sukhbir faced criticism after SAD encountered significant losses — particularly in the 2017 Assembly elections and its lackluster performance in 2022 and 2024.
Despite recent hurdles, SAD remains firmly entrenched in a 105-year-old legacy. Founded on December 14, 1920, with backing from the Gurdwara Reform Movement, the party has been a religious, political, and social voice for the Sikh community. Following the enactment of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act in 1925, SAD became actively engaged in India’s freedom movement.
Driven by the principle “Main Maran Te Panth Jive (Let me die, but let the Panth live)”, the Akali Dal kept its distance from mainstream politics until the 1937 Provincial Elections, where it contested and won 10 seats. During Partition, it stood resolutely against the division of the nation.
