SAD (Sanyukt) Merges with SAD & SAD Inches Towards BJP

On 5 Mar, ahead of the general elections, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (Sanyukt) merged with the SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal. Terming the merger as a joint responsibility to bring Panjab back on the rails, Dhindsa said, ‘There was an overwhelming feeling among our leaders and workers to merge with the SAD to effect unity in the Panth (The Sikh Collective). After Badal expressed heartfelt remorse for the cases of sacrilege which occurred in 2015, they called a meeting of the party’s district presidents and they gave the go-ahead for the merger.’ SAD (Sanyukt) was formed in April 2021 with the merger of  Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) and Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic). Badal termed the merger as a ‘merger of two families,’ and appealed to Dhindsa to take on responsibility as a patron of the SAD since he was the senior most Akali leader. Badal also appealed to all SAD leaders who had left the party on one or another pretext, to re-join it saying, ‘SAD alone is capable of safeguarding the aspirations of Panjabis.’ SAD is still not going back to its roots a century ago of safeguarding the political rights of the Sikhs since its genesis at the Sikh political seat of Authority Akal Takht. SAD has been going through a challenging time after facing a drubbing in the year 2017 and 2022 state assembly elections besides a poor show in the parliamentary byelection as well. The party has been making desperate attempts to regain its relevance in state politics. For the last few weeks there have been talks of SAD sharing seats with BJP in the general elections. On 3 Mar, SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal’s anniversary, state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar was full of praise for the senior Badal.