Sukhbir Badal Re-Elected as SAD President, Supporters Launch ‘Vikas Purush’ Campaign Amid Party Revival Efforts

In a bid to revive the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after years of electoral setbacks, Sukhbir Singh Badal was re-elected as the party’s president during organisational polls held at Teja Singh Samundari Hall on Saturday. His re-election follows a three-month membership drive and comes months after he resigned from the post on November 16, 2024, after being declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.

Soon after the announcement, a vigorous social media campaign was launched by his supporters branding Sukhbir as a “vikas purush” (man of development). The campaign aims to restore his image and reposition him as the leader capable of addressing Punjab’s governance issues. It also introduced a fresh slogan: “Punjab di pukar, Sukhbir di sarkar” (Punjab’s call, Sukhbir’s government).

Sukhbir, who first took charge of the SAD in December 2008 during the tenure of his father Parkash Singh Badal, was once hailed for modernising the party’s structure. However, the SAD has been in steady decline since its 2017 defeat in the Punjab Assembly elections. Once a dominant political force, the party now holds just two seats in the state Assembly and one in the Lok Sabha.

Interestingly, the two current SAD MLAs reflect internal divisions. Ganieve Kaur, wife of former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, is aligned with the Badal camp, while Manpreet Singh Ayali has been a vocal critic of the leadership and a proponent of structural change within the party.

Sukhbir’s return, paired with the aggressive online branding strategy, signals a strategic push to rejuvenate the party and regain relevance in Punjab’s evolving political landscape.