The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD Badal) has managed to script a significant grassroots revival in the Faridkot Municipal Committee elections.
Despite finishing third in the final seat tally behind the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, the Akali Dal has emerged as the most popular party in terms of total votes polled, capturing the highest vote share in the town.
Out of the total 37,124 votes polled in the municipal elections, SAD secured the lion’s share with 11,558 votes.
However, due to the nuances of the First-Past-the-Post electoral system, this impressive vote count translated into only 7 seats. In contrast, AAP bagged 9 seats with 9,820 votes, and the Congress secured 8 seats with 10,551 votes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) drew a blank, managing just 1,809 votes.
SAD candidates bagged 31.13 per cent of total polled votes in comparison to 28.42 per cent votes to Congress candidates and 26.45 per cent votes to AAP candidates. Although the BJP has no seats, its vote share is 4.48 per cent.
Political analysts attribute SAD’s robust vote consolidation to a narrative of ‘administrative high-handedness’ that unfolded during the campaign. The turning point of the election came when the local police registered FIRs against two prominent Akali candidates.
The police action triggered massive outrage within the Akali ranks, prompting SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal to personally rush to Faridkot to lead the protest. Labeling the state action a “witch-hunt” and an attempt to intimidate opposition candidates, the SAD leadership approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
In a significant development that shifted public perception, the High Court intervened and appointed two independent observers to oversee the election process. This judicial intervention became a major talking point across Faridkot, validating the SAD’s narrative of fighting against state oppression.
While the split in votes in a highly contested triangular fight allowed AAP and Congress to squeeze through with narrow margins in several wards, the SAD succeeded in polarising and consolidating its traditional voter base in its strongholds.
“The high drama surrounding the police cases and the subsequent High Court intervention acted as a catalyst,” said a local political commentator. “It re-energised a dormant Akali cadre, brought the top leadership to the streets of Faridkot, and generated a massive sympathy wave among neutral voters who felt the opposition was being treated unfairly. While they lost the seat race by a thin margin, they have successfully reclaimed their political footprint in Faridkot.”
For the SAD, which has been looking for a political reset in the region, this 31.13% vote share is being viewed by party insiders as a moral and psychological victory heading into future challenges.
