SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal put up a brave face as he congratulated party candidates and the independent candidates backed by the party for what he called a “splendid performance". (File photo)The Shiromani Akali Dal’s electoral decline, which began around 14 years, deepened further with the Panthic party being relegated to the fourth spot, behind Independents, in the results of the urban local body polls that was declared Friday.The party won 191 seats, down from 284 in the 2021 civic polls, and behind 251 that Independents got this year. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party dominated the results with 958 seats, a staggering leap from the 69 it had won in 2021 — a turnaround that strategists within SAD have been quietly pointing to as a potential template for their own revival. The argument goes that AAP had performed dismally in the 2021 local body elections but went on to sweep the 2022 Assembly elections. SAD, the argument follows, could stage a similar comeback.SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal put up a brave face as he congratulated party candidates and the independent candidates backed by the party for what he called a “splendid performance.” He blamed the results on state machinery being weaponised against Akali Dal — alleging cancellation of nomination papers, misuse of police and the State Election Commission, and what he described as “open hooliganism and intimidation” by AAP. “Despite all this, the people of Punjab have clearly shown where their trust lies. This is a big message,” Badal said, adding that in free and fair assembly elections, “the people of Punjab will completely reject AAP and the Shiromani Akali Dal will emerge victorious.”But the comparison with AAP’s 2021 showing offers cold comfort at best. When AAP underperformed in those civic polls, it was a young party that had not yet governed Punjab. Its poor showing reflected organisational gaps, not voter rejection of its governance. SAD’s situation is structurally different, and significantly worse.The party has been losing ground continuously since 2014, when AAP’s entry into Punjab politics first ate into its support base. The 2015 Bargari sacrilege and the Behbal Kalan police firing, in which two Sikh protesters were killed, proved devastating for a party whose identity rests on its claim to represent the Sikh community. The events triggered a collapse of its core vote bank that has not been reversed. The party was reduced to 15 seats in the house of 117 in 2017 Assembly elections, won only two Lok Sabha seats of the possible 13 in 2019 — both held by Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal — and then hit a new low in 2022 when SAD chief himself lost his Jalalabad seat and the party could return only three MLAs. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections brought further humiliation, with the party winning just one seat.For a party that once commanded Punjab’s political landscape, finishing fourth in a local body election — behind Independents — underscores how far the erosion has gone.In Patti local body elections, in Tarn Taran district, the party failed to open its account even as the Congress won eight seats, the AAP six and the Independents five. The results are politically significant because AAP’s Patti MLA and former Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar was arrested in late March in connection with the death of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar. Bhullar is currently in jail, and his wife campaigned for the party during the local body elections.Story continues below this adIn Majitha, considered a party stronghold and bastion of former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, the SAD won six seats as against AAP’s seven. Majithia’s wife Ganieve Kaur Majithia is presently MLA from Majitha Assembly segment.Majithia alleged malpractice in the counting process, alleging that only 6,936 votes were counted over nearly 11 hours. He said the entire government machinery remained active from morning till evening during counting and “repeatedly delayed the counting process in an attempt to influence the outcome”.He said he would approach the High Court against this “high-handedness.” Amritsar ADC Ravinderpal Singh had earlier said that counting was taking more time because the Majitha constituency is a high-profile seat.Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram