Bibi Jagir Kaur rejoins SAD; Sukhbir Badal names her Bholath constituency in-charge

Former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president and three-time MLA Bibi Jagir Kaur rejoined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday, marking her second return to the party in just over two years ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal formally inducted the 72-year-old leader into the party at Begowal, her hometown in Kapurthala district, and announced her appointment as the party's constituency in-charge for Bholath.

Welcoming Kaur, Badal said her return, along with her supporters, would significantly strengthen the party's organisational presence in the politically important Doaba region.

Kaur quit the Giani Harpreet Singh-led SAD (Punar Surjit) to rejoin her former party, days after former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra made a similar move.

𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧

Kaur's return comes amid a series of departures from SAD (Punar Surjit), a breakaway outfit formed last year by dissident Akali leaders.

Former Punjab minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, former Akali MLA Iqbal Singh Jhundan and Barjinder Singh Brar had earlier quit the rebel organisation.

Kaur, who served as SGPC president in 1999, 2004 and 2020, has experienced several political disagreements with the SAD leadership in recent years.

She was expelled from the party in November 2022 after refusing to withdraw from the SGPC presidential election against the party-backed candidate, Harjinder Singh Dhami. She subsequently lost the contest.

Kaur returned to the SAD in March 2024 but later joined other dissident leaders in launching the SAD Sudhar Lehar, which sought changes in the party's leadership and functioning.

Last year, several rebel leaders, including Kaur, Chandumajra, Ayali, Rakhra, Jhundan and Gurpartap Singh Wadala, came together to form SAD (Punar Surjit), with former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh as its president.

𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

Addressing party workers at Begowal, Badal appealed to all Akali leaders who had left the organisation to return to what he described as the Panth di jathebandi.

He urged them to unite under the SAD banner and work towards defeating political forces he accused of acting against the interests of the Sikh community and Punjab.

Describing Bholath as a traditional Panthic stronghold, Badal expressed satisfaction that Kaur had returned with her entire team.

He urged the former minister to take all party workers along and appealed to voters to support her in the upcoming Assembly elections.

The SAD president also sought to project the party as an alternative to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.

𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐀𝐏, 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬

Criticising the prevailing political situation, Badal alleged that Punjab was facing a serious crisis because of the growing drug menace and gangster-related activities.

He claimed that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lacked genuine concern for the welfare of Punjab's people.

In contrast, he credited former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with introducing major social welfare programmes during the SAD government's tenure.

"All social welfare schemes, be it the 'aata-daal' scheme, Shagun scheme, old-age pension scheme or the SC scholarship scheme, were started by Badal Sahab," he said.

"Neither the Congress nor the AAP has done anything for the state. I challenge both to tell one achievement when in power," Badal added.

He promised that welfare schemes allegedly discontinued or diluted by the AAP government would be restored if the SAD returned to power after the 2027 elections.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫

Badal urged voters to remove the AAP government, arguing that Punjab's future depended on a leadership capable of restoring development and improving law and order.

"We have to look at the future of our children. We cannot afford to give either the AAP or the Congress another chance," he said.

Claiming that he possessed the administrative experience needed to govern effectively, Badal promised swift action against organised crime.

"I know how to quick-start development, how to keep officers in check and how to maintain law and order. The SAD government would rid Punjab of gangsters within three months," he asserted.

He also warned that AAP leaders found involved in corruption would be held accountable if his party formed the next government.

𝐊𝐚𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬

Speaking at the induction programme, Kaur acknowledged that she had made mistakes in the past and pledged to work towards bringing the SAD back to power under Badal's leadership.

She credited previous SAD governments with undertaking major development projects in Bholath, including the creation of a sub-division and implementation of a Rs 72-crore sewerage project.

Kaur represented the Bholath Assembly constituency three times, winning elections in 1997, 2002 and 2012 on an SAD ticket.

In the 2022 Assembly elections, she unsuccessfully contested the seat, losing to Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira.

Her return comes as the SAD attempts to consolidate its traditional support base and bring estranged leaders back into the organisation ahead of the elections to the 117-member Punjab Assembly, scheduled for early next year.