Punjab’s fragmented Panthic politics is poised for another realignment with three-time Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali set to formally join the Amritpal Singh-led Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

Once a close confidant of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Ayali’s move is expected to strengthen the fledgling outfit backed by the jailed Khadoor Sahib MP. It also marks the latest chapter in the continuing churn within Punjab’s Akali politics ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

“We are already working on the Panthic agenda. The sentiments of ‘qaum’ (Sikh community) were that there should be a new ‘Panthic’ platform. I will be joining Akali Dal (WPD) formally. I believe the entire Akali Dal will come under one platform one day, sooner or later,” Ayali said.

Ayali’s announcement comes days after he had announced resignation from all posts of the SAD (Punar Surjit) — a breakaway faction of the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal — on May 20. At the time, he was also heading a committee formed to explore the possibility of forging an alliance between the SAD (Punar Surjit) and Akali Dal (WPD).

Ayali’s political journey began with election as a Zila Parishad member in 2007, and went on to become the chairman of Ludhiana Zila Parishad. He won the Dakha Assembly seat on SAD ticket in 2012, won a bypoll to the constituency in 2019 and retained it in 2022, when he emerged as one of the only three Akali Dal candidates to be elected to the 117-member Assembly during the Aam Aadmi Party wave.

The performance was the worst ever electoral outing of the SAD. Soon, Ayali rebelled against the SAD leadership, demanded organisational reforms and called for Badal to step down as party president.

In December 2024, Ayali was made part of an Akal Takht appointed committee formed to ramp up the membership drive of the SAD and mandated to supervise the party’s reorganisation. At that time, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs had pronounced “punishment” for Badal and others for the “sins” of the party and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

Ayali later joined the SAD Sudhar Lehar movement, which evolved into SAD (Punar Surjit) in 2025.

His move to SAD (WPD) is likely to give a major boost to the party founded by Tarsem Singh, father of Amritpal Singh, and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, the independent MP from Faridkot on January 14, 2025. The party is yet to receive Election Commission registration or an election symbol.

Its only electoral test came in the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll last year, where its candidate secured nearly 19,000 votes and finished third. AAP’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu had romped home with 42,649 votes, defeating the nearest rival, Sukhwinder Kaur of SAD by a margin of 12,091 votes.

SAD (WPD) leaders argued that a divided Panthic vote had benefited AAP and that a united front could have changed the outcome. Ayali’s induction gives the party a sitting MLA and further links it with two influential Independent MPs.

“Efforts will be made to bring Bhai Amritpal Singh out of Dibrugarh jail. We will contest all 117 seats and try hard for Panthic unity before the polls,” Ayali said.

Ayali’s departure further reduces the SAD’s legislative strength. One of its MLAs, Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, joined the AAP in 2024, though he continues to hold his Assembly seat. With Ayali’s exit, Ganieve Kaur Majithia is effectively the party’s lone MLA, while Harsimrat Kaur Badal remains its only MP.

Senior SAD leader Daljeet Singh Cheema acknowledged the impact of defections but insisted the party’s grassroots base remained intact.

“No doubt such steps do harm the party, but masses understand what is correct for them based on past experiences. Shiromani Akali Dal is the only group which provides stability to them,” he said.

Cheema also questioned Ayali’s ideological consistency, pointing out that SAD (WPD) had not followed the Akal Takht-directed membership and reorganisation process that Ayali had once supported.

The significance of Ayali’s move extends beyond one MLA changing sides. It reflects the continuing contest among multiple Akali factions to emerge as the principal voice of Punjab’s Panthic politics.

While SAD (WPD) hopes Ayali’s entry will help broaden its appeal beyond Amritpal Singh’s support base, the parent party argues that recent successes in local body, Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections show it still retains a substantial grassroots presence.