Sukhbir visits Phagwara to unite cadre ahead of SGPC elections

In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming SGPC presidential elections, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday reached Phagwara in a discreet move aimed at consolidating party unity within the Doaba region.

Badal visited the residence of Jarnail Singh Wahid in Phagwara, where he convened a closed-door meeting with SGPC members of the Doaba Zone to deliberate on internal strategy and seek consensus for the forthcoming elections of the SGPC.

Although no formal statement was issued and Badal refrained from media interaction, party insiders confirmed that the visit carried deeper political undertones. The Akali leadership, sources said, is keen to project a united front at a time when internal discord and regional factionalism have threatened to dent the party’s influence in the Doaba belt — a key area in Punjab’s political landscape.

The visit also coincided with rising unease following a meeting of the General Samaj Manch held on October 25 at Gurdwara Sukhchaina Sahib, Phagwara. The meeting, which discussed plans to commemorate the 350th Martyrdom Day of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, became controversial after Mohan Sai, president of the General Samaj Manch, allegedly made remarks about Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, the SGPC president. The comments reportedly irked several local SAD leaders, including Ranjit Singh Khurana, president of SAD, Phagwara Urban.

Badal’s intervention was seen as an attempt to defuse tensions and prevent the issue from snowballing into a public rift that could embarrass the party leadership ahead of the SGPC polls. Following the meeting, it was learnt that both Mohan Sai and Khurana agreed to Badal’s counsel and decided to settle their differences in the interest of party cohesion.

Observers view Badal’s visit as part of a broader effort to reassert his leadership within the Akali Dal cadre and ensure smooth coordination between the SGPC and the party’s organisational wings. The move also reflects the Badal camp’s growing focus on rebuilding ground unity and public confidence after a period of internal drift.

Prominent leaders present at the meeting included Ranjit Singh Khurana (halqa in-charge, SAD Punjab), Rajinder Chandi (dehati pardhan, Phagwara), Preet Pal Singh Manga (general secretary, SAD Punjab), Jarnail Singh Wahid (former owner, Wahid Sugar Mill), and Sukhbir Singh Badal.