akali-dal-campaigning-against-its-own-symbol

The Shiromani Akali Dal is faced with an unenviable and unique situation where it has to campaign against its own official party symbols, the ‘Scales’. This virtually amounts to surrendering the official party symbol, which may have long-term ramifications for the party.

 

The pair of Scales is the official symbol of the Shiromani Akali Dal. These are supposed to be the “scales of justice”. There is a sentimental attachment of people to this symbol.

 

In Jalandhar West, which is going for by-election on July 10 next, the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Sukhbir Singh Badal has decided not to support its official candidate Surjeet Kaur. 

 

Ms Kaur was reportedly recommended from the constituency by a group of leaders, who later rebelled against the leadership of Sukhbir Badal and held a meeting in Jalandhar asking him (Sukhbir) to step down. 

 

Since the period for filing the nomination papers was over, the party could not field another candidate. Eventually, the party decided to support the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate from here, which means it will be opposing its official symbol of “scales” that is with Ms Kaur.

 

It will probably be for the first time in electoral history that a political party will be campaigning against its official symbol. This was obviously because the events in the Shiromani Akali Dal took a rapid turn.

 

Ms Kaur, however, has appealed to the party leadership not to oppose her asking what was her fault. However, the rebel leaders have seized the occasion as they have ended up with the “official” party symbol, at least for the Jalandhar West by-election.

 

This may not seem to be a very significant development, but it certainly is reflective of the serious crisis being faced by the Shiromani Akali Dal. The issue of symbol may remain just symbolic only, but it is something that the party leadership would not like to confront. 

 

Situations like these are likely to emerge in future in different ways for the Akali leadership. While most of the senior and prominent leaders have sided with Sukhbir Badal, the fact is that there has been an open and extended rebellion against him, which has the potential to expand further.

 

While he has himself remained quiet, his wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee president, Paramjit Singh Sarna have accused the BJP of instigating the rebellion in the Akali Dal.

 

This might be a tactful way of winning the sympathy and support of the Jat Sikh community, which has mostly been traditionally the Akali supporters but has been feeling alienated from the party of late. 

 

Since the Jat Sikh community is mostly against the BJP, for some unexplained reasons, the Akali Dal by blaming it (the BJP) might be hoping to get back that support riding on the anti-BJP sentiment prevailing in the community.

 

However, much to the disappointment of the Akali leadership, the rebel leaders have decided to seek the support of radical leaders like Amritpal. That would also negate the Akali allegation that the rebels are doing it at the behest of the BJP. Had they been doing it at the BJP’s instance, they would not go along with the radicals.

 

The radicals are themselves capitalising mainly on the anti-Badal sentiment. With rebel Akalis trying to make common cause with them, they will pose a further and much stronger challenge to the Akali Dal led by Sukhbir. 

 

As one rebel leader remarked, Sukhbir Badal has this time voluntarily given up the official symbol of the party by opposing it in Jalandhar West. He has initiated the process himself, as the rebels will try to lay claim to the official party symbol, the pair of “scales”.