The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to withdraw from the race for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat in an unexpected turn of events. The decision by the SAD came right after Hardeep Singh Saini, who was the party’s candidate in Chandigarh, resigned from the organisation on May 6 before switching to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) three days later under unclear circumstances. This move further dented the SAD’s campaign in Chandigarh since it was their maiden general election in the City.
With SAD’s exit, the stage is now set for a direct face-off between Manish Tewari of the Congress and Sanjay Tandon of the BJP.
On April 22, SAD nominated Saini for the Chandigarh seat, indicating their first standalone run in the constituency following several years of collaboration with the BJP. This action came after SAD parted relations with the BJP party in 2021, during a farmers’ demonstration for agricultural regulations.
Harjit Singh Bhullar, SAD’s vice-president and spokesperson, confirmed the party’s withdrawal from Chandigarh’s Lok Sabha election. He asserted that the party’s attention has shifted to increasing its presence in preparation for the municipal corporation elections in December 2025, intending to address internal problems and factionalism.
Also Read: Chandigarh Welcomes Two New Independent Contenders In Electoral Arena
Since Saini played a key role in the local party unit, Bhullar stated that a new leadership body for Chandigarh SAD would be introduced by the party president after proper consultations with local leadership.
Saini’s popularity among local voters, shown in his victories in several elections, points out the significance of his departure from SAD.
In a similar event, SAD got rid of senior party leader and SGPC member Harjinder Kaur for allegedly participating in anti-party actions by assisting the BJP’s Chandigarh campaign.
