A clash at a panchayat office in Jalalabad, Punjab, led to an AAP leader being shot during a dispute over nomination papers for upcoming rural body elections. The incident involved supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with allegations of illegal land possession and political rivalry fueling the violence.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has issued a legal notice to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanding a ban on the release of Kangana Ranaut’s film ‘Emergency’ citing alleged historical inaccuracies and potential for communal tensions. The party claims the film misrepresents the Sikh community and promotes hatred. Meanwhile, Kangana Ranaut has alleged threats and pressure to censor the film, specifically regarding the depiction of Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the Punjab riots.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is facing a leadership crisis following a revolt by senior leaders against party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. The rebellion, triggered by the party’s poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, has divided the party into two camps – those demanding Badal’s resignation and those supporting him.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has announced its decision to contest the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in Punjab under its own party symbol, ‘takdi,’ or scales, for the first time since 1996. This move marks a significant departure from the SAD’s previous alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has traditionally contested the Gurdaspur seat. The SAD’s decision follows its withdrawal from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. The party has placed its bet on senior vice president Daljit Singh Cheema as its candidate for Gurdaspur. Cheema has dismissed the BJP’s claims that he is an ‘outsider,’ stating that he has strong ties to the constituency and has previously contested elections there. The BJP, on the other hand, has named local leader Dinesh Singh Babbu as its candidate, a move that Cheema attributes to the ‘negativity’ surrounding the BJP. The Gurdaspur seat has been a stronghold of the BJP, which has fielded Bollywood stars Vinod Khanna and Sunny Deol in the past. However, this time, the party has opted for a local candidate, which Cheema believes is an indication of the BJP’s declining popularity.
Former Punjab Congress president Mohinder Singh Kaypee has switched to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), drawing criticism from Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary. Chaudhary accused former chief minister and Congress candidate for Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat Charanjit Singh Channi of causing chaos within the Jalandhar Congress, leading to defections. He urged the party high command to intervene to prevent further losses.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has finally announced Ranjit Singh Dhillon as its candidate from Ludhiana. Dhillon is a popular figure in the constituency, having served as MLA from East constituency from 2012 till 2017. He is also a former councillor and district president of SAD (Urban). Dhillon is expected to garner Sikh votes in the constituency. His nomination is a strategic move by SAD to strengthen its position in Ludhiana.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has announced the names of six more candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, including Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Harsimrat, the wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, will contest from the Bathinda constituency, which has been a stronghold of the Badals. Other candidates announced by the SAD include Mohinder Singh Kaypee from Jalandhar, Sohan Singh Thandal from Hoshiarpur, Nardev Singh Bobby Mann from Ferozepur, Ranjit Singh Dhillon from Ludhiana, and Hardeep Singh Saini Buttrela from Chandigarh. With this, the SAD has now announced candidates for 12 parliamentary constituencies in Punjab.
