Punjab’s political landscape on Tuesday witnessed a dramatic turn of events as Surjit Kaur, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate for the Jalandhar West bypoll, briefly joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) only to return to her original party by evening. The unexpected sequence unfolded just days after the Akali Dal withdrew its support for Kaur and instead backed the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate, setting the stage for intense political drama ahead of the July 10 polling.
The day began with a surprise announcement as Surjit Kaur met with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and formally joined the AAP. The Chief Minister welcomed her at his residence in Jalandhar, signaling a major boost for AAP in the run-up to the bypoll.
However, as the day progressed, the situation took an unexpected twist. By the evening, Surjit Kaur had rejoined SAD, with her re-induction facilitated by senior party leaders Bibi Jagir Kaur and Gurpartap Singh Wadala — hailing from the rebel Akali faction. This rapid reversal left political observers and constituents bewildered.
Surjit Kaur's decision to initially leave SAD stemmed from internal conflicts within the party. Despite being nominated as the SAD candidate, she faced opposition from the party, while a rebel faction, comprising senior leaders including Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, supported his candidature.
The rebel group had been vocal about their dissatisfaction with SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal's leadership, leading to a virtual split in the party. They asserted that changes were needed within the party, directly challenging Sukhbir’s authority.
The factional strife culminated in a statement by senior Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema, who declared that the party would not support Surjit Kaur in the bypoll, accusing the rebels of nominating her to undermine Sukhbir Badal. Instead, the Akali Dal threw its weight behind the BSP candidate. The decision came after the deadline for withdrawing nominations had passed, complicating the electoral scenario further.
Amidst the confusion, Surjit Kaur was caught in a political tug-of-war. Former MLA Wadala explained that Kaur had been under immense pressure and her brief defection to AAP was a result of high blood pressure and stress. “When her BP normalized, she decided to come back to SAD again, the party with which her deceased husband Pritam Singh had spent 45 years,” Wadala said, hinting at the emotional and political turmoil she faced.
Surjit Kaur herself revealed the circumstances behind her fleeting alliance with AAP, alleging that she had been tutored by Bhagwant Mann to make statements in favour of AAP policies. “I was tutored by Bhagwant Mann to say that I liked AAP's policies and hence joined it,” she confessed, adding a layer of intrigue to the unfolding drama.
SAD’s faction, led by Bibi Jagir Kaur and Wadala, rallied around Kaur, emphasizing the community’s support and the emotional connection she held with the party's legacy. “Her Sirkiband Rajput community is waiting to welcome her back after getting disillusioned this morning. We are getting calls from abroad to support Surjit Kaur,” Wadala said, underscoring the diaspora's involvement.
Bibi Jagir Kaur said that district SAD chief had already played mischief with Surjit Kaur and she was so upset. “May be her son was pressurized by the government…May be Sukhbir Badal has helped Bhagwant Mann…I am proud of this family for having returned to the party despite all the pressure,” she said.
Urging the voters “to get united again for her cause”, Bibi Jagir Kaur minced no words to say, “Sukhbir made fun of her poverty and Mann misused her plight…They are the descendents of the family of Baba Bachitar Singh who had fought against a 'mast' elephant”.
“I apologize for whatever we did this morning,” says Surjit Kaur's son Deep Singh Rathore, adding that “assi gumrah ho gye (we were misled)”.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who had earlier celebrated Kaur's induction into AAP, criticized the Akali Dal's treatment of her. “Surjit Kaur and her family have fought for Punjab and Punjabiyat. It is unfortunate that after announcing her as their candidate, the Akali Dal refused her any support,” he remarked.
As the dust settles on this day of political upheaval, Surjit Kaur's journey from SAD to AAP and back to SAD highlights the volatile nature of Punjab's political arena. With the bypoll just weeks away, her return to the Akali Dal fold adds yet another twist to an already unpredictable election.
