Rebel SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali joins Waris Punjab De, signals fresh churn in Punjab Akali politics
CHANDIGARH: In a significant political development ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali has joined the Waris Punjab De (WPD) organisation led by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act.
CHANDIGARH: In a significant political development ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali has joined the Waris Punjab De (WPD) organisation led by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act.
Turbulent Past
Ayali has had a turbulent political trajectory within Punjab’s Akali politics. He first entered the Punjab Assembly after winning a bye-election in 2019 from Dakha, following the resignation of then AAP MLA H.S. Phoolka. He went on to retain the seat in the 2022 Assembly elections on a Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) ticket.
Ayali, the sitting MLA from Dakha constituency, announced his association with WPD while asserting that the group has already built a “strong base” in Punjab and would emerge as a significant force in the coming Assembly elections. He also indicated that several other political leaders were in touch and may join the outfit in the near future.
“I am already working on the Panthic agenda. The sentiments of the ‘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 sooner or later,” Ayali said.
Ayali has had a turbulent political trajectory within Punjab’s Akali politics. He first entered the Punjab Assembly after winning a bye-election in 2019 from Dakha, following the resignation of then AAP MLA H.S. Phoolka. He went on to retain the seat in the 2022 Assembly elections on a Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) ticket.
He had earlier contested the 2017 Assembly elections but faced defeat.
Over the years, Ayali was considered close to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. However, relations reportedly soured after internal disagreements over organisational restructuring within the party following directives from the Akal Takht.
Boost for WPD
Ayali’s entry into Waris Punjab De is being seen as a notable boost for the relatively young and ideologically driven outfit backed by jailed MP Amritpal Singh. Analysts say the move reflects the continuing fragmentation and reconfiguration within Punjab’s traditional Akali political space.
Ayali was also part of a seven-member committee formed to oversee a recruitment drive within the Akali Dal, but he later opposed the leadership’s decision to run a parallel recruitment process. He had also briefly aligned with Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjeet) before parting ways over differences with party leadership, including former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh.
Ayali’s entry into Waris Punjab De is being seen as a notable boost for the relatively young and ideologically driven outfit backed by jailed MP Amritpal Singh. Analysts say the move reflects the continuing fragmentation and reconfiguration within Punjab’s traditional Akali political space.
It also highlights the growing appeal of Panthic narratives among sections of Sikh leadership, particularly in the run-up to a politically competitive 2027 Assembly election.
With Ayali’s switch, Punjab politics once again appears to be witnessing a reshaping of loyalties, as established parties face internal churn and emerging groups attempt to consolidate space within the state’s evolving political landscape.
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