Ahead of Sangrur bypoll, a happy photograph and talk of panthic unity

This was followed by an announcement on May 16 by the SAD-controlled Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) on the formation of a nine-member committee to make efforts for the release of Sikh political prisoners. Besides Badal, the committee has as members Simranjit Singh Mann, Sarna and Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal, another known Badal baiter.

Such was the political and personal rivalry between some of these groups that when Badal was Home Minister of Punjab in 2015, Simranjit Singh Mann and Daduwal were booked under sedition charges by the SAD government over alleged anti-national slogans being raised at a Sarbat Khalsa gathering on November 10.

This rare display of panthic unity comes ahead of the Sangrur Lok Sabha byelection and within two months of the SAD(Badal) witnessing a humiliating defeat in the 2022 Assembly elections. The Sangrur byelection was necessitated following AAP leader Bhagwant Singh Mann quitting his Lok Sabha seat and moving to Punjab as Chief Minister.

Those who are sceptical of this coming together of bitter rivals – ostensibly on the issue of release of Sikh prisoners – ask if the panthic parties can stay united for the Sangrur elections.

The Badals faced their worst-ever defeat in the 2022 elections when it was reduced to three seats with its vote share dipping to 18.4%. Badal, who is already being accused in panthic circles of allegedly weakening Sikh politics, knows he can ill-afford a defeat in Sangrur. Sources attribute the recent breaking of ice among panthic parties to this pressure on Badal to perform.

Sangrur is the stronghold of the AAP, which secured 6.43 lakh votes from the nine Assembly seats in this parliamentary constituency whereas the SAD(B) could only secure 1.41 lakh votes.

The SAD(Amritsar), already pushed to the fringes of Punjab’s mainstream politics for over three decades, saw a negligible increase in its voteshare in the Assembly elections, securing 2.5% votes against the 0.03% it got in 2017. Though SAD(Amritsar) president Mann was elected twice to Parliament from Sangrur seat – in 1989 and 1998 – and the party has already announced his candidature for the Sangrur by-election, given the party’s diminished status, the SAD(A) will need the Badals’ support if it wants a shot at winning the seat.

Beyond the bypoll, the biggest challenge facing the Akali parties is whether they can demonstrate to their vote bank they can stay together on panthic issues.

“I appeal to my party’s top leadership to make efforts for panthic unity. It’s the need of the hour. What can be better than having all the SAD factions coming together for the Sangrur by-elections. It is important for Sikhs to come together in the wake of what is happening in the country,” said SAD(Badal) spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha.

SAD(Delhi) leader Paramjit Singh Sarna said, “I was the first to give the call for panthic unity. If we want to protect the rights of Sikhs, then we must come together. We can start from the Sangrur byelection.”

“Right now, the focus is on releasing Sikh prisoners. We have already declared that our party will contest the Sangrur elections and that Simranjit Singh Mann will be our candidate,” said SAD(A) leader and Simranjit Singh Mann’s son Emaan Singh Mann.

Despite the happy picture and talk of panthic unity, there are hurdles along the way. For one, the SAD(A) has never shied away from its Khalistan demand and its events often feature pro-Khalistan slogans being raised from the stage, something SAD(B) leaders would be uncomfortable with.

Besides, now that SAD(A)’s Mann has declared his candidature from Sangrur, it won’t be easy for the Badals to stand by and leave Sangrur seat for another party, especially one with which it has a bitter past.