Prepared to embark on its solo electoral journey in Punjab for the first time since 1996, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has reached the final stages of selecting candidates for all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the State. After thorough consultations and deliberations involving party seniors and grassroots workers, the candidates’ names have been meticulously vetted and are now poised for formal announcement by the party leadership, anticipated to occur by the end of this week.
 
To strategically position itself for the upcoming elections, the Akali Dal has carefully assessed each constituency to nominate candidates with strong potential for victory. The party's leadership, led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, has ensured thorough scrutiny and consideration of various factors before finalizing the list of candidates.
 
It would be for the first time when the Akali Dal will be contesting on all 13 seats. Earlier, SAD used to field its candidates for 10 seats, while its ally, BJP, contested on three seats — Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, and Gurdaspur.
 
Against the earlier practice of being the first one to announce the candidates, SAD lagged behind this time as it was hoping to stitch an alliance with the BJP for 2024 polls. However, the talks between the old allies failed and both are contesting the elections independently making it a four-cornered contest this time.
 
Among the key constituencies, Sukhbir’s wife and former Union Minister Harismrat Kaur Badal’s name has been finalized for Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, given her consistent electoral success and strong presence in the region. Similarly, former Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, son of Akali patron and Sangrur’s former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, has been finalized for Sangrur constituency, leveraging his family's political legacy and his own rapport with the electorate.
 
For the Patiala seat, senior Akali leader and former minister Surjit Singh Rakhra is being considered, though discussions also revolve around the potential candidacy of Dera Bassi’s former MLA NK Sharma. Additionally, there are speculations regarding the nomination of a young party leader and spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kalra indicating the party's commitment to nurturing the fresh talent and eyeing the young voters.
 
In Ferozepur constituency, the party is considering nominating Nardev Singh Bobby Mann, the son of late MP Jora Singh Mann, carrying forward his family's political legacy. Currently, the constituency is represented by Sukhbir Badal, who has already declared against contesting the parliamentary polls this time.
 
In a notable departure from tradition, the party is considering fielding Hindu candidate in the key constituency of Amritsar. The name of former BJP minister Anil Joshi has been put forward for the Amritsar seat, signaling a strategic move to tap into the Hindu electorate while leveraging his political experience and appeal. Earlier, BJP leaders Hardeep Puri and Arun Jaitely had unsuccessfully contested from Amritsar in 2019 and 2014 as the seat fell in the share of saffron party as per seat sharing arrangement with SAD.
 
For the Anandpur Sahib seat, the party is deliberating between the names of former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and former Minister Daljit Singh Cheema — both seasoned leaders with significant political acumen and grassroots connect. Here Chandumajra may outsmart Cheema considering his seniority and experience.
 
The name of Sukhbir’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia is also being considered for the panthic seat of Khadoor Sahib along with senior party leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, who is known as Sukhbir’s loyal soldier and has always been vocal on panthic issues.
 
Even though Majithia, who has been made constituency’s in-charge, emerged as the frontrunner for the party ticket from Khadoor Sahib, fielding him may put the Akali Dal in dock for promoting dynasty politics as his sister Harsimrat is set to contest from Bathinda for the fourth time in row.
 
Securing victory in the Khadoor Sahib constituency holds significant importance for the SAD, as the party emphasizes its commitment to the panthic agenda. It is vigorously pursuing the Sikh electorate, which has shown reluctance since the unfortunate incidents surrounding the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015. In the 2019 elections, the seat was claimed by Congress candidate Jasbir Singh Dimpa, prompting the SAD to make concerted efforts to regain control of the constituency, prioritizing its retrieval regardless of the challenges.
 
In Fatehgarh Sahib, the name of Vikramjit Singh Khalsa, SAD’s halqa in-charge, is almost confirmed. However, the party has also not ruled out the name of bureaucrat-turned-politician Darbara Singh Guru, who has unsuccessfully contested 2019 polls from this constituency.
 
For the Faridkot seat, former MP Gulshan Kaur and Harpreet Singh Kotbhai could be potential contenders. In Ludhiana, the party is considering to give another opportunity to senior leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal. Additionally, there is speculation that a youth face may also be given a ticket from this Lok Sabha constituency.
 
In Gurdaspur, the party might field a businessman as a candidate. There are also discussions about inducting BJP’s disgruntled leader Kavita Khanna, the widow of former MP and Bollywood superstar Vinod Khanna, in Akali Dal and nominating her from the seat.
 
In the Doaba region, the party is struggling to zero in on a candidate for Hoshiarpur, from where BJP used to field its candidate. The party may choose between former Minister Sohan Singh Thandal and a former health official Lakbhir Singh. However, from Jalandhar, SAD may again lay its bet on former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu.
 
The forthcoming Lok Sabha elections will serve as a litmus test for the SAD's electoral prospects, particularly amidst shifting political dynamics and evolving voter preferences. With the candidate selection process nearing completion, all eyes are now on the party's campaign strategy and its ability to resonate with the electorate across Punjab's diverse constituencies.
 
SAD's decision to field Hindu candidates in select constituencies reflects its pragmatic approach to expand its support base and appeal to a broader spectrum of voters.
 
Sukhbir Constitutes Manifesto Committee

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, gearing up for the upcoming elections, formed a robust 15-member manifesto committee, to led by senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder. In addition to Bhunder serving as the chairman, Daljit Singh Cheema will take on the role of member secretary. The committee includes prominent figures such as Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Jagir Kaur, Bikram Singh Majithia, Sikander Singh Maluka, Gulzar Inder Singh Ranike, Anil Joshi, Hira Singh Gabria, Pawan Kumar Teenu, Harcharan Singh Bains, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, and Iqbal Singh Jhundan.
 
The committee also includes Youth Akali Dal president Sarbjeet Singh Jhinjher, Istri Akali Dal chief Hargobind Kaur, Legal Cell head Arshdeep Singh Kler, Malerktla halqa in-charge Zahida Suleman, Christian leaders Bunty Masih and Aman Supariwind as special invitees.