Amritpal Singh's Waris Punjab De A New Challenge For Akali Dal Ahead Of Polls

Ahead of Mandate 2027, Punjab is witnessing a new political contest as the Shiromani Akali Dal faces an emerging challenge from Amritpal Singh-led Waris Punjab De.

The rivalry is particularly significant in the Panthic political space, traditionally associated with the Akali Dal. Amritpal Singh's victory from Khadoor Sahib in the 2024 Lok Sabha election gave Waris Punjab De a major political foothold. The outfit is now seeking to expand its presence ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has repeatedly targeted Amritpal Singh and Waris Punjab De at political rallies, making the group a prominent target of his campaign.

Badal has described Waris Punjab De as a "virus" and questioned Amritpal's political credentials. He has also criticised Amritpal over the 2023 Ajnala incident and his political rise after returning from Dubai.

Sukhbir Badal has also alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party is using Waris Punjab De to divide the Panthic vote. He has claimed that there is an understanding between AAP and the outfit - an allegation the two parties would need to respond to.

The political contest has gained another dimension with the entry of Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali into the Waris Punjab De camp. 

Ayali's move has given the outfit greater visibility in the Malwa region and taken the contest beyond Amritpal's Khadoor Sahib base.

Sukhbir has subsequently intensified his attacks on both Amritpal and Ayali, particularly questioning their political and religious positioning.

The rivalry was also visible at the Chhapar Mela, where SAD and Waris Punjab De emerged as prominent competing political formations, highlighting the growing contest for the Panthic electorate.

For the Akali Dal, the challenge is therefore not limited to AAP, Congress and BJP. It is also about retaining its traditional political space against a new formation seeking to build an alternative Panthic identity.

For Waris Punjab De, the 2027 election will be the first major test of whether Amritpal Singh's electoral appeal can be converted into a wider political organisation.

The battle between SAD and Waris Punjab De could therefore become one of the key sub-plots for the 2027 polls -with the contest increasingly moving from rallies and rhetoric to the ground-level battle for assembly constituencies.