SAD Chief Sukhbir Badal Welcomes Ex-MLA Rathan and 22 Punar Surjit Dal Members Back to Party

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on March 10, 2026, welcomed the entire Hoshiarpur unit of the Punar Surjit Dal—popularly known as the “Chullah Dal”—back into the party fold, describing the move as part of the ongoing “Akali Ghar Wapsi” campaign. The reunification included former MLA Surinder Singh Bhulewal Rathan and 22 delegates, marking a significant consolidation of Sikh political forces in the Kandi region of Punjab.

Addressing a public gathering at the Saila Khurd grain market in the Garhshankar area of Hoshiarpur district, Badal announced a detailed development roadmap for the Kandi belt, which encompasses hilly and semi-hilly areas often facing infrastructure and agricultural challenges. He emphasized that the return of these leaders demonstrated growing grassroots support for SAD and a recognition of the party’s historical role as the primary representative of Sikh and Punjabi interests.

Badal specifically reappointed Surinder Singh Bhulewal Rathan as the party’s halka in-charge for the Garhshankar constituency, signalling confidence in his leadership to strengthen SAD’s position ahead of future elections. Among the prominent figures who rejoined were Chullah Dal Hoshiarpur president Dr Satwinder Singh Dhatt and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) executive member Dr Jang Bahadur Singh, whose homecoming was highlighted as a boost to the party’s organisational strength in the district.

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The SAD president stated that the Hoshiarpur unit of the Chullah Dal had come to realise it had been “misled into weakening its own mother party", referring to the Shiromani Akali Dal as the parent organisation from which breakaway groups had previously emerged. The Punar Surjit Dal, formed to revive or reform certain ideological strands within Sikh politics, had operated independently for a period before this reconciliation.

The “Akali Ghar Wapsi” initiative, actively promoted by Sukhbir Singh Badal in recent months, seeks to bring back estranged leaders, workers, and splinter factions to rebuild SAD’s unity and electoral base following internal challenges and electoral setbacks in previous years. This latest development in Hoshiarpur is seen as a morale booster for the party, particularly in a region where factionalism has historically influenced vote shares.

The event underscores SAD’s efforts to consolidate support in Punjab’s diverse regions amid a competitive political landscape dominated by parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress. By focusing on regional development promises and symbolic reunifications, the party aims to regain ground in both rural and semi-urban constituencies as it prepares for upcoming electoral battles.

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