Former Member of Parliament and veteran politician Prem Singh Chandumajra has officially resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit). The departure marks yet another transition in a political career spanning over four decades, during which the leader has navigated multiple realignments within Akali politics. According to statements made to the media, the decision to leave the faction was driven primarily by fundamental ideological differences regarding the concept of Panthic unity.
Chandumajra clarified that his perspective on the necessity of uniting various Panthic and pro-Punjab forces did not align with those of Giani Harpreet Singh, the president of the SAD (Punar Surjit) faction. The former MP expressed concerns that the current fragmentation of the Akali Dal is weakening the movement and allowing anti-Panthic forces to gain an advantage in the region. He emphasized that, in his view, it is essential for all factions to set aside mutual grievances and merge onto a single platform to effectively protect the interests of the Panth and Punjab.
The development comes more than two years after Chandumajra was expelled from the mainstream Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in 2024. At that time, he was among several senior leaders who had voiced significant public dissatisfaction with the leadership style of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, particularly concerning decisions made during the party’s tenure between 2007 and 2017. Following his departure from the parent party, he joined the breakaway SAD (Punar Surjit) faction, which sought to establish an alternative footing in Punjab's political landscape.
Throughout his time with the breakaway faction, Chandumajra remained vocal about his political stances, including his support for an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—a position that had previously been a point of contention within the original SAD after the two parties parted ways in 2019. His consistent advocacy for this alliance often drew criticism from within the SAD fold, highlighting the internal pressures that have characterized his recent political years.
Chandumajra’s career has been defined by his involvement in significant institutional shifts. Born on January 1, 1950, he began his journey in student activism before rising to prominence. He has served as a three-time Lok Sabha MP, representing the constituencies of Anandpur Sahib and Patiala across the 11th, 12th, and 16th Lok Sabhas. Additionally, he has served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly and held a cabinet minister position in the government led by Surjit Singh Barnala in 1985.
This resignation marks his second major departure from the broader Akali fold. In 1999, following a rift between the then-SAD chief and the then-SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Chandumajra joined the splinter Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal). He eventually returned to the parent party in 2007, serving as its General Secretary before securing his victory in the 2014 parliamentary elections. He has not held an elected seat since his 2014 term.
As he exits the SAD (Punar Surjit), Chandumajra finds himself at another crossroad in his political trajectory. While he continues to advocate for the consolidation of political forces, his resignation underscores the ongoing volatility and search for alignment among senior leaders who, like him, seek to redefine their relevance in the shifting landscape of Punjab politics.
Comments