Shiromani Akali Dal protests against Punjab's land pooling scheme in Ludhiana and plans strategy for 2027 assembly elections.
Ludhiana: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president
Sukhbir Singh Badal
on Wednesday led a high-pitched protest against the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) land-pooling scheme, vowing to block any attempt by the govt to acquire farmland.
Framed as a battle to "save Punjab", the protest also served as a political curtain-raiser to the 2027 assembly elections — even as signs of disorganisation and internal friction simmered beneath the surface.
Addressing the protesters outside the office of Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (Glada), Sukhbir accused the AAP govt of conspiring to "rob farmers of their land to fill its coffers". He warned the govt that the agitation would spread to other cities unless it scrapped the scheme.
"We will not let them take even an inch," Sukhbir declared, adding that the SAD was committed to defending Punjab's agricultural interests.
The accompanying farmer unionists echoed the sentiment, warning of long-term economic damage. "The land-pooling scheme is a fraud dressed as development," claimed farmer unionist Sukhpal Singh. "The land will be devalued, and our children will suffer." SAD youth leader Jaskaran Singh Ayali Kalan said the land acquisition was not as "voluntary" as the govt claimed.
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"The entire parcel is being notified for acquisition, even for those who don't opt in," he said.
Senior SAD members Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Ranjit Singh Dhillon called for unity among Punjabis, likening the current movement to past protests against alleged scams under previous govts. They also signalled a readiness to launch sustained demonstrations if needed. The protest saw participation from a broad lineup of SAD bigwigs including Daljit Singh Cheema, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Hira Singh Gabria, and others.
However, local organisers failed to match the enthusiasm from the central leadership fully. District SAD chief Bhupinder Singh Bhinda arrived late, and local members reportedly jostled for stage presence, prompting Cheema to warn that the stage could collapse under the crowd.
Tensions in Dakha: SAD eyes Ayali alternative
Following the protest, Sukhbir Badal visited the Dakha constituency, where he reportedly began scouting for an alternative to incumbent MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.
The move comes amid rising tensions between the two Akali leaders. Despite being defeated by AAP's H S Phoolka in 2017, Ayali reclaimed his seat in the 2019 byelection and remains a dominant figure in the region — posing a political challenge for SAD's leadership heading into 2027.
BJP worker's symbolic protest
In a parallel protest, BJP member Jai Parkash Jain, also known as Titu Bania, staged a symbolic demonstration outside the Glada office. Holding a lock and key, he threatened to "lock" the office for pushing a policy he claimed would destroy Punjab's farmland and hurt farmers. While SAD aims to reclaim lost ground with aggressive opposition to land reforms, Wednesday's protest revealed both its potential and its pitfalls — energised leadership at the top, but a fractured and uncoordinated base below.
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