Shiromani Akali Dal | |
---|---|
President | Balwinder Singh Bhunder |
Lok Sabha Leader | Harsimrat Kaur Badal |
Founded | 14 December 1920 |
Headquarters | Block #6, Madhya Marg Sector 28, Chandigarh |
Newspaper | Akali Awaaz |
Student wing | Student Organisation of India[1] |
Youth wing | Youth Akali Dal |
Women's wing | Istri Akali Dal[2] |
Labour wing | Shiromani Akali Dal SC wing[3] |
Peasant's wing | Shiromani Akali Dal BC wing[4] |
Ideology | Conservatism[5][6] Punjabiyat[7][8][9][10] Punjabi nationalism[11][12] Federalism[13][14] |
Political position | Centre-right[15][16] to right-wing[17] |
Colours | Navy Blue & Saffron |
ECI Status | State Party[18] |
Alliance | SAD+BSP (2021-2023) SAD+INLD (2021-Present) National Democratic Alliance (1998–2020) |
Seats in Lok Sabha | 1 / 543 |
Seats in Rajya Sabha | 0 / 245 |
Seats in Punjab Legislative Assembly | 2 / 117 |
Election symbol | |
Website | |
www | |
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (translation: Supreme Eternal Party[19]) is a centre-right Sikh-centric state political party in Punjab, India. The party is the second-oldest in India, after Congress, being founded in 1920.[20][21][22] Although there are many parties with the description Akali Dal, the party that is recognized as "Shiromani Akali Dal" by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Sukhbir Singh Badal. The party has a moderate Punjabi agenda.[23] On 26 September 2020, it left the National Democratic Alliance over the farm bills.[24]
Akali Dal was formed on 14 December 1920 as a task force of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the Sikh religious body. The Akali Dal considers itself the principal representative of Sikhs. Sardar Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first president of a unified proper Akali Dal, but it became popular under Master Tara Singh.[25] Akali movement influenced 30 new Punjabi newspapers launched between 1920 and 1925.[26]
In the provincial election of 1937, the Akali Dal won 10 seats. The Khalsa Nationalists won 11 seats and joined the coalition government headed by the Unionist leader Sikander Hyat Khan. The Akalis sat in opposition and made occasional forays into reaching an understanding with the Muslim League, which never reached fruition.[27]
In the provincial election of 1946, the Akali Dal won 22 seats and joined the coalition government headed by the Unionist Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana, along with the Indian National Congress. The Muslim League was unable to capture power, despite having won the largest number of seats, which perhaps suited it fine as it strengthened its Pakistan demand. The Muslim League launched a civil disobedience campaign, bringing down the Tiwana government by March 1947. The rest of the period till Indian independence was filled by Governor's Rule.[28]
As with other Sikh organisations, Master Tara Singh and his Akali Dal strongly opposed the partition of India, which he thought would create an environment of possible persecution.[29]
In the 1950s, the party launched the Punjabi Suba movement, demanding a state with majority of Punjabi speaking people, out of undivided East Punjab under the leadership of Sant Fateh Singh.[30] In 1966, the present Punjab was formed. Akali Dal came to power in the new Punjab in March 1967,[31] but early governments didn't live long due to internal conflicts and power struggles within the party. Later, party strengthened and party governments completed full term.
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa along with other Akali leaders came together at a Gurdwara in Ludhiana on 7 July 2020 to re-establish SAD (D). Dhindsa was chosen as president of the revived political party. He claimed SAD (D) as the true Shiromani Akali Dal and that the one so called was taken over by the Badal family.[32]
Prior to this in late 2018, expelled senior members of Shiromani Akali Dal Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Rattan Singh Ajnala, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, their relatives and others had formed SAD (T).[33] The reasoning of the expelling was due to their accusations of the Badal family steering Shiromani Akali Dal in the wrong path.
Ahead of the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, both SAD (T) and SAD (D) were dissolved to be merged together into a new political party by the name of Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt). This party entered into the National Democratic Alliance to contest the Punjab elections alongside the candidates of Bharatiya Janata Party.[citation needed]
Shiromani Akali Dal's main goals are the protection of Sikh rights, Punjab's waters, and opposition to the Sutlej Yamuna link canal.[34]
In 1996, at a historic conference in Moga, Shiromani Akali Dal adopted a moderate Punjabi agenda and shifted party headquarters from Amritsar to Chandigarh.[35]
Following is the list of presidents of the party as given on the party website.
S. No. | Name | Portrait | Term Start | Term End | Duration |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sarmukh Singh Jhabal | -- | 17 February 1969 | 27 March 1970 | 1 year, 1 month, 10 days 405 days |
2 | Kharak Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
3 | Master Tara Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
4 | Gopal Singh Qaumi | -- | -- | -- | |
5 | Tara Singh Thethar | -- | -- | -- | |
6 | Teja Singh Akarpuri | -- | -- | -- | |
7 | Babu Labh Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
8 | Udham Singh Nagoke | -- | -- | -- | |
9 | Giani Kartar Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
10 | Pritam Singh Gojran (Gujjran Sangrur) | -- | -- | -- | |
11 | Hukam Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
12 | Fateh Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
13 | Achar Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
14 | Bhupinder Singh | -- | -- | -- | |
15 | Mohan Singh Tur | -- | -- | -- | |
16 | Jagdev Singh Talwandi | -- | -- | -- | |
17 | Harchand Singh Longowal | -- | 20 August 1985 | -- | |
18 | Surjit Singh Barnala | 27 September 1985 | 1996 | 11 years, 9 months, 15 days 4,291 days | |
19 | Parkash Singh Badal | 1996 | 2008 | 12 years 4,383 days | |
20 | Sukhbir Singh Badal | 2008 | 2024 | 16 years, 2 months 5,927 days | |
21 | Balwinder Singh Bhunder | 2024 | Present |
House | Current Members | Leader |
---|---|---|
Union Parliament | ||
Lok Sabha | 1 | Harsimrat Kaur Badal |
State Legislature | ||
Punjab Legislative Assembly | 3 / 117 | Manpreet Singh Ayali |
No. | Portrait | Name | Term in office | Duration | Portfolio | Prime Minister | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Parkash Singh Badal | 26 March 1977 | 27 March 1977 | 1 day | Minister of Communications | Morarji Desai | ||
28 March 1977 | 17 June 1977 | 81 days | Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation | |||||
2 | Surjit Singh Barnala | 18 June 1977 | 28 July 1979 | 2 years, 40 days | ||||
19 March 1998 | 13 October 1999 | 1 year, 208 days | Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | ||||
Minister of Food and Consumer Affairs | ||||||||
3 | Sukhbir Singh Badal | 20 March 1998 | 13 October 1999 | 1 year, 207 days | Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry | |||
4 | Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa | 22 November 1999 | 26 November 1999 | 4 days | Minister of Works and Estates (Merged with Ministry of Urban Development) | |||
7 November 2000 | 22 May 2004 | 3 years, 197 days | Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers | |||||
27 May 2000 | 7 November 2000 | 164 days | Minister of Mines | |||||
2 February 2000 | 7 November 2000 | 279 days | Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports | |||||
5 | Harsimrat Kaur Badal | 27 May 2014 | 30 May 2019 | 5 years, 3 days | Minister of Food Processing Industries | Narendra Modi | ||
31 May 2019 | 18 September 2020 | 1 year, 110 days |
Sr. No. | Portrait | Chief Minister | Constituency | In Office | Duration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | |||||
1 | Gurnam Singh (1899–1973) |
Qila Raipur | 17 February 1969 | 27 March 1970 | 1 year, 38 days | |
2 | Surjit Singh Barnala (1925–2017) |
Barnala | 29 September 1985 | 11 June 1987 | 1 year, 255 days | |
3 | Parkash Singh Badal (1927–2023) |
Gidderbaha | 27 March 1970 | 14 June 1971 | 1 year, 79 days | |
20 June 1977 | 17 February 1980 | 2 years, 242 days | ||||
Lambi | 12 February 1997 | 26 February 2002 | 5 years, 14 days | |||
1 March 2007 | 16 March 2017 | 10 years, 15 days |
Sr. No. | Name (constituency) (birth-death) |
Portrait | Term of office | Chief Minister | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sukhbir Singh Badal ( - ) (born 1962) |
21 January 2009 | 1 July 2009 | 161 days | Prakash Singh Badal | S. F. Rodrigues | |
2 | Sukhbir Singh Badal (Jalalabad) (born 1962) |
10 August 2009 | 14 March 2012 | 2 years, 217 days | |||
14 March 2012 | 16 March 2017 | 5 years, 2 days | Shivraj Patil |
General Elections Results | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | General Election | Seats Won | Change in # of Seats | Percentage of Vote | Vote Swing |
1945 | 6th Central Legislative Assembly | 2 | — | — | |
1951 | 1st Lok Sabha | 4 | 2 | 0.99% | — |
1957 | 2nd Lok Sabha | 0 | 4 | — | — |
1962 | 3rd Lok Sabha | 3 | 3 | 0.72% | — |
1967 | 4th Lok Sabha | 3 | — | — | |
1971 | 5th Lok Sabha | 1 | 2 | 0.87% | — |
1977 | 6th Lok Sabha | 9 | 8 | 1.26% | — |
1980 | 7th Lok Sabha | 1 | 8 | 0.71% | — |
1984 | 8th Lok Sabha | 7 | 6 | 17.9% | — |
1989 | 9th Lok Sabha | 0 | 7 | — | — |
1991 | 10th Lok Sabha | 0 | — | — | |
1996 | 11th Lok Sabha | 8 | 8 | 0.76% | — |
1998 | 12th Lok Sabha | 8 | 0.81% | — | |
1999 | 13th Lok Sabha | 2 | 6 | 25.58% | — |
2004 | 14th Lok Sabha | 8 | 6 | 34.28% | — |
2009 | 15th Lok Sabha | 4 | 4 | 0.96% | — |
2014 | 16th Lok Sabha | 4 | 20.30% | 13.55% | |
2019 | 17th Lok Sabha | 2 | 2 | 27.45% | 13.9% |
2024 | 18th Lok Sabha | 1 | 1 | 13.42% | 14.03% |
Legislative Assembly elections | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Election Year | Leader | seats contested | seats won | +/- in seats | Overall votes | % of overall votes | +/- in vote share | Sitting side |
1937 | Master Tara Singh | 81 | 11 / 175
|
1,788,856 | 5.58 | Others | ||
1946 | Master Tara Singh | 81 | 20 / 175
|
9 | 3,550,212 | 10.94 | 5.36 | Others |
Legislative Assembly elections | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Election Year | Leader | seats contested | seats won | +/- in seats | Overall votes | % of overall votes | +/- in vote share | Sitting side |
1952 | Gopal Singh Khalsa | 48 | 13 / 126
|
13 | 620,455 | 12.44 | 12.44 | Opposition |
1957 | Contested with Congress and 28 Akali leaders won.[36] | |||||||
1962 | Gurnam Singh | 46 | 16 / 154
|
16 | 799,925 | 11.87 | 11.87 | Opposition |
1967 | Sant Fateh Singh (SFSG) | 59 | 24 / 104
|
24 | 871,742 | 20.48 | 20.48 | Opposition |
Master Tara Singh (MTSG) | 61 | 2 / 104
|
2 | 178,746 | 4.20 | 4.20 | ||
1969 | Gurnam Singh | 65 | 43 / 104
|
43 | 1,381,916 | 29.36 | 29.36 | Government |
1972 | Jaswinder Singh Brar | 72 | 24 / 104
|
19 | 1,344,437 | 27.64 | 1.72 | Opposition |
1977 | Parkash Singh Badal | 70 | 58 / 117
|
34 | 1,776,602 | 31.41 | 3.8 | Government |
1980 | Harchand Singh Longowal | 73 | 37 / 117
|
21 | 1,683,266 | 26.92 | 4.49 | Opposition |
1985 | Surjit Singh Barnala | 100 | 73 / 117
|
23 | 2,630,270 | 38.01 | 11.09 | Government |
1992 | Boycotted the elections[37][38][39] | |||||||
1997 | Parkash Singh Badal | 92 | 75 / 117
|
75 | 3,873,099 | 37.64 | 37.64 | Government |
2002 | 41 / 117
|
34 | 3,196,924 | 31.08 | 6.56 | Opposition | ||
2007 | 93 | 48 / 117
|
7 | 4,689,018 | 37.09 | 6.01 | Government | |
2012 | 94 | 56 / 117
|
8 | 4,828,612 | 34.73 | 2.36 | Government | |
2017 | 15 / 117
|
41 | 3,898,161 | 25.2 | 9.4 | Others | ||
2022 | Sukhbir Singh Badal | 97 | 3 / 117
|
12 | 2,861,286 | 18.38 | 6.86 | Others |
Legislative Assembly elections | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Election Year | Leader | seats contested | seats won | +/- in seats | Overall votes | % of overall votes | +/- in vote share | Sitting side |
2009 | Charanjeet Kaur Mallour | 2 | 1 / 90
|
9,490,092 | 0.98 | Opposition | ||
2014 | Balkaur Singh | 5 | 1 / 90
|
12,426,968 | 0.6 | 0.38 | Coalition | |
2019 | Rajinder Singh Desujodha | 3 | 0 / 90
|
1 | 12,520,177 | 0.38 | 0.22 | Extra-parliamentary |
Legislative Assembly elections | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Election Year | Leader | seats contested | seats won | +/- in seats | Overall votes | % of overall votes | +/- in vote share | Sitting side |
2013 | Manjinder Singh Sirsa | 4 | 1 / 70
|
7,699,800 | 1 | Government | ||
2015 | Manjinder Singh Sirsa | 1 | 0 / 90
|
1 | 8,978,269 | 0.5 | 0.5 | Opposition |
Sr. No. | Name (constituency) (birth) |
Portrait | Term of office | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sarabjeet Singh Jhinjer ( - ) (born 1982) |
08 June 2023 | 16 July 2024 | 1 year, 38 days |
The Bharatiya Kranti Dal(BKD) and the Akali Dal, two other right-wing parties...
The precursor to the present-day SAD was an organization established in December 1920 to help guide the quasi-militant Akali movement of the early 1920s, in which Sikhs demanded and (through the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925) won from the ruling British authorities in India control over the gurdwaras (Sikh houses of worship). The present-day SAD, which has claimed to be the oldest regional political party in India, has also controlled Sikh religious institutions such as the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and, more recently, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.
No sooner was it made public than the Sikhs launched a virulent campaign against the Lahore Resolution. Pakistan was portrayed as a possible return to an unhappy past when Sikhs were persecuted and Muslims the persecutor. Public speeches by various Sikh political leaders on the subject of Pakistan invariably raised images of atrocities committed by Muslims on Sikhs and of the martyrdom of their gurus and heroes. Reactions to the Lahore Resolution were uniformly negative and Sikh leaders of all political persuasions made it clear that Pakistan would be 'wholeheartedly resisted'. The Shiromani Akali Dal, the party with a substantial following amongst the rural Sikhs, organized several well-attended conferences in Lahore to condemn the Muslim League. Master Tara Singh, leader of the Akali Dal, declared that his party would fight Pakistan 'tooth and nail'. Not be outdone, other Sikh political organizations, rival to the Akali Dal, namely the Central Khalsa Young Men Union and the moderate and loyalist Chief Khalsa Dewan, declared in equally strong language their unequivocal opposition to the Pakistan scheme.