Splinter Groups in Panjab Politics End Up Merging with Mainstream Parties

Since the end of militancy in Panjab in the mid-nineties, numerous political stalwarts have tested electoral waters by floating their own splinter groups. However, their efforts failed to make any mark and they ended up joining mainstream parties. In 1992, Captain Amarinder Singh – later two times CM of Panjab – broke away from SAD and launched SAD (Panthic). In 1998, he merged the party into the INC. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia – twice SAD MP, once member of Rajya Sabha from Samajwadi Party (SP) – launched Lok Bhalai Party in 1999 and merged it into SAD in 2011. Manpreet Singh Badal launched Panjab People’s Party on 27 Mar 2011 and on 15 Jan 2016 merged it into INC. Manpreet left INC for BJP on 18 Jan 2023. Sucha Singh Chhotepur launched Apna Punjab Party on 1 Oct 2016. Chhotepur joined SAD on 9 Dec 2021. Ranjit Singh Brahmpura launched SAD (Taksali) on 16 Dec 2018. Sukhpal Singh Khaira floated Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) on 8 Jan 2019. Khaira rejoined INC on 3 Jun 2021. Former AAP MP from Patiala, Dr Dharamvira Gandhi formed Nawan Punjab Party on 11 Mar 2019 and on 1 Apr 2024 merged it into INC. Sukdhev Singh Dhindsa and son Parminder Singh floated SAD (Democratic) on 7 Jul 2020 and on 19 April 2021 merged it with SAD (Taksali) to launch SAD (Sanyukt). Dhindsa merged SAD (Sanyukt) into SAD on 5 Mar 2024. Amarinder Singh launched Panjab Lok Congress on 2 Nov 2021 and merged it with BJP on 9 Sept 2022. The constant in all these maneuverings is leaders survive, get new lives in mainstream parties, but the issue-specific splinter groups they created perish.