The politically marginalised Shiromani Akali Dal has decided not to contest the by-elections on four assembly seats to be held on November 13. This decision of the Akali Dal is being considered suicidal. Former Education Minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, while saving the Badal Dal from embarrassment, had told a blatant lie that the decision of the Akal Takht to declare him a salaryman was not for Sukhbir Singh Badal alone, it was for the entire Akali Dal, that is why we have decided not to contest the by-elections in the meeting.
On the other hand, immediately after this decision of the Akali Dal, Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh has rejected Dr. Cheema’s statement and said that the Akali Dal can contest the by-elections and no kind of ban has been imposed on him by the Akal Takht Sahib, but Sukhbir Singh Badal cannot be allowed to do so, because his case is still under consideration at the Akal Takht Sahib.
Panthic experts believe that the withdrawal from the election field is an indication that the party leadership has accepted that there is significant opposition from the Sikh Panth against the Akali Dal Badal over sacrileges and Sauda Sadh, which the Badal Akali Dal leadership is not ready to face.
Although senior party leader Bikram Singh Majithia had advised the party to contest the elections, the party has decided against him and not to contest the elections.
After this, Sucha Singh Langah, who has now apologized for the obscene video incident from Akal Takht Sahib, has abandoned the Chhurli Badal family in favor of the Akal Takht Sahib and said that the delay in this decision from Akal Takht Sahib is a political assassination of Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Historian Prof. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, commenting on the Akali Dal’s decision, said that the Akali Dal should have contested the elections. The Sikh Gurus have taught us to fight in the battlefield, not to run away. He said that the Guru Sahib has also fought in the field till the end. Therefore, the Akali Dal should not have fled the field. This will demoralize the Akali cadre and it becomes very difficult to bring the cadre back. He said that winning or losing does not make much difference. The Akali Dal has lost many elections in the past, but withdrawing from the field lowers the morale.
Similarly, former president of the Shiromani Committee Bibi Jagir Kaur says that the Akali Dal has accepted defeat even before contesting the elections. This is a suicidal decision of the Akali Dal. Bibi Jagir Kaur has said that the Akali Dal is the oldest party except the Congress and if the party is in such a situation today that the party flees the field, then this is a very shameful and unfortunate time for us. He said that the Akali Dal had done the same thing during the Jalandhar by-election and we were standing alone in the field. He said that the Akali Dal’s M. P. Deposits were confiscated during the elections, even then the elections were contested and why did they not boycott the elections then? Bibi Jagir Kaur advised Sukhbir Badal that if the party has to be saved, then let everyone work free hand.
It has been learnt from Akali Dal insiders that the Akali leadership has taken this decision keeping in mind the 2027 elections that if the party loses, it would have a bad impact. The Akali Dal has one MP and three MLAs, one of whom has joined AAP and Manpreet Singh Ayali is running aghast. It is said here that former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has won elections five times from the Gidderbaha seat. Similarly, the Akali Dal had taken the winning chariot forward by winning the Gidderbaha by-election in 1995, but now the party has withdrawn from the by-election. This decision of the Akali Dal has raised questions about the leadership and the future of the party. Disappointment is being seen among party workers and leaders. This is the first time in history that the Akali Dal has admitted defeat before jumping into the election battle.
