In a move being viewed by political observers as a reduction in her organisational influence in the Majha region, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has withdrawn the charge of the Nasha Mukti Morcha, Majha Zone, from party leader Sonia Mann and assigned it to Dikshat Dhawan. The position had enabled actress-turned-politician Sonia Mann to remain in regular contact with government officials and village panchayats across the region, giving her a significant organisational reach beyond her constituency.
While political circles have interpreted the decision as a curtailment of her influence, Sonia Mann said she had voluntarily resigned from the post two days earlier in order to focus on strengthening the party in the Raja Sansi Assembly constituency, where she serves as the AAP in-charge.
The constituency is currently represented by Congress MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, popularly known as Sukh Sarkaria, who has won the seat four consecutive times and remains one of the Congress party’s strongest rural leaders in the Majha region. The Congress continues to enjoy considerable support in the constituency, making it a challenging electoral battleground for AAP.
Last year, former AAP leader Baldev Singh Miadian joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ending his association with the ruling party. Miadian was among AAP’s prominent faces in the constituency and had contested the 2022 Assembly elections on the party ticket. Apart from being the candidate, he also held several important organisational positions, including that of Pungrain Chairman.
His departure was viewed as a setback for AAP’s prospects in the constituency, particularly because Raja Sansi has traditionally been a difficult seat for the party due to the Congress’s entrenched rural support base and Sarkaria’s strong personal network.
Since taking charge of the constituency, Mann has focused on expanding the party’s presence in villages through the Nasha Mukti campaign. She was also active during the flood relief efforts, though she later faced criticism and online trolling following a viral interaction with rural youth.
Adding another dimension to the political landscape is Baldev Singh Miadian’s new role in the BJP. Political observers believe he could emerge as the BJP’s candidate from Raja Sansi in the 2027 Assembly elections.
