In ‘badlaav’ wave, boost for separatist SAD (Amritsar), trouble for Badals

Party candidates Simranjit Singh Mann and Gurjant Singh Kattu finished second on Amargarh and Mehak Kalan seats, respectively. Five party candidates polled more than 10,000 and five got more than 5,000 votes.

SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal (File)

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), which has fielded 86 candidates for the February 20 Assembly polls, might have failed to win a single seat, but it did manage to boost its vote share by almost 2.5% per cent.

From a high of winning six of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in 1989, to being reduced to a vote share of 0.03% — much lower than NOTA’s 0.7% — in 2017, SAD (Amritsar) scripted a turnaround by polling 2.49% votes this time by securing more than 3.85 lakh votes across the state.

With SGPC polls due for some time now, SAD (Amritsar) could pose a challenge for Shiromani Akali Dal (Babal).

Sources said that SAD(A) has been trying to capture SGPC for a long time and it could be its best chance under the given circumstances.

Headed by former IPS officer and former MP Simranjit Singh Mann, SAD (Amritsar) is the only party that contests elections with a demand for Khalistan. Dal Khalsa and some other separatists parties, who used to contest elections, no longer do that.

Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said, “The increase in the vote share of SAD (Amritsar) has raised the hopes of all the panthic bodies who want to remove Baddals from the SGPC. Dal Khalsa and other Sikh bodies including SAD(Amristsar) had come together to contest SGPC elections in past too and we can do in in future also. The SGPC elections are due and with such a humiliating defeat for SAD, there is no justification for further postponing SGPC elections. Badals have lost the faith of the people. I am sure that Badals won’t like SGPC election at this time, but it is a good opportunity for all the pantic bodies to free SGPC from Badals.”

Party candidates Simranjit Singh Mann and Gurjant Singh Kattu finished second on Amargarh and Mehak Kalan seats, respectively. Five party candidates polled more than 10,000 and five got more than 5,000 votes.

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Untimely death of actor and activist Deep Sidhu in car accident few days before voting day created a sympathy wave for the party as he was campaigning for party candidate, Simranjit Singh Mann.
SAD(A) had won six parliamentary seats in Punjab and its present president Mann had won election from jail in 1989. In 1992 Assembly elections later, it was seen as a major player but then Sikh militants had given call of boycott making it pull out of the race.

Since 1989, party’s vote bank has decreased drastically. It was in 1999 when party last managed to send Simranjit Singh Mann to Parliament. Mann had then defeated former CM Surjit Singh Barnala with a margin of 8,600 votes. He had managed to secure little more than 48,000 votes from Sangrur in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

While SAD (Amritsar) may struggle to maintain this vote share with many of the opinion that the rise is due to sympathy over Deep Sidhu’s death, the development may give some reason to Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) to worry.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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