The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which has turned into a divided house in the wake of its debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, is now facing a peculiar situation, with the rival party factions making references to the BJP and its ideological fountainhead RSS to attack each other. The SAD led by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and its rebel group called “Sudhar Lehar” have accused each other of “conspiring in Nagpur (RSS' headquarters)” to weaken the party. “SAD patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has forced the party to take this action (of expelling him). We had invited all disgruntled leaders to discuss their problems but they became a part of a conspiracy scripted in Nagpur to weaken and divide the party,” chairman of the SAD’s disciplinary committee Balwinder Singh Bhunder said. On June 30, the SAD had expelled eight “rebel” leaders including Dhindsa’s son Parminder and former Shiromani Parbandhak Gurdwara Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur – who have been demanding Sukhbir's resignation and a “change in SAD leadership” – for indulging in “anti-party activities”. A day later, Dhindsa was also shown the door for backing the rebels. Bhundar alleged that the Akali Dal rebels were playing into the hands of the BJP and RSS as the erstwhile SAD (Sanyukt) led by Dhindsa was a part of the BJP-led alliance in the 2022 Assembly polls. Claiming that expelled SAD leader Surjit Singh Rakhra and his brothers had a “backdoor meeting” with the BJP leadership regarding an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, he claimed, “(SAD rebel) Prem Singh Chandumajra had advocated for this alliance. Apart from this, (another party rebel) Sikander Singh Maluka’s son and daughter-in-law are in the BJP. How can we ignore the BJP connection in weakening our party?” Recalling that the Akali Dal had come out strong after former patron late Parkash Singh Badal faced a “tough time” in the 1980s, Bhundar said the current setback was “temporary” and that the SAD would tide over this crisis. “Dhindsa allied with the SAD in March. Sukhbir was a good leader then and within two-three months, there is a demand for a leadership change,” he said. On the other hand, the Sudhar Lehar faction dismissed the above allegations and urged the SAD to “introspect” instead of diverting the issue by referring to the RSS and BJP. If Rakhra ji had a meeting with the BJP leadership, Sukhbir too held meetings with it before the Lok Sabha polls, said Charanjit Singh Brar, one of the expelled SAD leaders, asking “What is the big deal in it?” “SAD had an alliance with the BJP for over two decades while Harsimrat Kaur and Sukhbir were a part of the NDA Cabinet. It is surprising that the SAD claims Sudhar Lehar has some strings attached to Nagpur,” he said. Sources within the Sudhar Lehar faction said the issue of an alliance with the BJP was discussed frequently in the Akali Dal meetings ahead of the Lok Sabha polls but it could not be formalised due to the farmers' protests which broke out on February 13. A senior Sudhar Lehar leader also said, “It is a given that just like the SAD and SGPC are inseparable, the BJP and RSS cannot be separated.” On its part, the state BJP charged that the Sukhbir-headed SAD was levelling such allegations as “they have lost the faith of the people”. “Everyone in Punjab knows the SAD’s plight. Instead of setting their own house in order, they are trying to divert the attention of people from issues. Blaming others for their downfall is just ridiculous,” state BJP vice-president Subhash Verma told The Indian Express.
