SAD bets on Sukhbir Badal, shifts to early poll mode with 40 ‘Punjab Bachao’ rallies

Cheema said the rallies would focus on what the party describes as Punjab’s pressing crises under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, apart from issues related to the state’s right over Chandigarh, the issue of its waters, issues related to farming, etc.

Poster released by Shiromani Akali Dal. (Source: Express Photo)

“During these rallies, we will highlight the issues Punjab is facing…unemployment among youth, law and order issues, the drugs problem, and lack of development works. In addition, we will tell the masses about the various projects completed during the tenure of the Akali Dal government, which strengthened the base of the state,” he said.

Adding a cultural touch to the campaign, the party has also released a new song by Saiz Bajwa this week, with the lyrics “Shiromani Akali Dal panth di pachhan jitt pakki es vaar , gal poori karde (Shiromani Akali Dal is the true identity of the Panth; victory is assured this time, they will fulfil the promises)”. The song positions SAD as a political and Panthic force, attempting to reconnect emotionally with its traditional support base.

The early outreach, however, also draws comparisons with the party’s recent past. On February 1, 2024, the SAD had launched a ‘Punjab Bachao Yatra’, covering multiple parliamentary constituencies through February and March before formally entering the poll campaign for the Lok Sabha polls held in June 2024. That yatra, too, was accompanied by a song—a protest anthem titled “Utth jaag Punjabiyo…Punjab bacha lo (Wake up Punjabis… save Punjab)”.

The video of the 2024 song prominently featured visuals of protests against the AAP government and projected Badal as the tallest leader of the party. Despite the aggressive outreach and emotional pitch, the electoral outcome proved sobering for SAD. The party managed to win only the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat and forfeited its security deposit in 10 of the state’s 13 parliamentary constituencies.

This time, however, SAD appears keen to recalibrate its strategy. Unlike the Lok Sabha-focused mobilisation of 2024, the current rally series is aimed squarely at the 2027 Assembly elections. Party insiders say the leadership is drawing confidence from its performance in the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections held in December last year, where SAD fared significantly better, and they are viewing it as a comeback.

The decision to project Sukhbir Badal alone as the face of the campaign also marks a shift from collective leadership optics to a more presidential-style approach.

“Whether this early start and sharper focus can translate into sustained momentum remains to be seen. For now, SAD has signalled that it is back on the road—and determined to make noise well ahead of 2027,” said a senior SAD leader.