Akali Dal Rift Widens as Breakaway Faction Declares New Leader

Rapid Summary

• The Shiromani Akali dal (SAD) faced a virtual split on Monday after a rebel faction announced former Akal takht acting chief priest Giani Harpreet Singh as itS new president.
• The announcement came during a meeting in Amritsar organized by an Akal Takht-appointed committee tasked with restructuring the party.Satwant Kaur was named chairperson of the Panthic (Sikh) council.
• Rebels claim Sukhbir Singh Badal failed to adhere to the December 2, 2024, directives of the Akal Takht, which included conducting elections for SAD leadership roles and enforcing religious punishments on certain party leaders.
• giani Harpreet Singh had been part of the Sikh clergy responsible for issuing these directives but was dismissed from his role as jathedar at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib earlier this year.
• Tensions between factions escalated as Giani Harpreet Singh asserted that his group would take control of key Sikh institutions. SAD leaders labeled this faction as an “Agency Dal” working under central government influence.
• SAD has faced declining popularity in Punjab over recent years, winning just one Lok Sabha seat out of 13 in 2024 and performing poorly in both the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The ongoing split within Shiromani Akali Dal marks a significant juncture not only for Punjab politics but also for Sikh institutional frameworks.With its identity rooted in safeguarding Sikh interests, any dissension within SAD risks deepening political fragmentation among Punjab’s Sikhs-a community whose unity often influences regional discourse.Furthermore, claims by rebels about deviations from core panthic values coudl intensify scrutiny over how institutional decisions align with grassroot concerns.

Critically,accusations regarding involvement by external agencies add another complex layer to this intra-party rift. If substantiated or widely believed, such allegations may exacerbate mistrust among Sikhs toward political intermediaries-potentially impacting voter behaviour and participation across Punjab.

for SAD historically considered emblematic of Sikh political aspirations-these developments not only challenge its ability to reclaim grassroots connections but also significantly weaken its position amid rising competition from other regional parties such as AAP.

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