Amritpal Singh's party struggles to balance broader appeal with Khalistan debate

Political Tightrope

The Akali Dal Waris Punjab De party is facing an internal test on how to expand its political reach while holding onto a core base that supports Khalistan. This tension became clear after the brief four-day stint of former Enforcement Directorate official Niranjan Singh, who left the party on Monday after publicly rejecting Khalistan.

Formation And Contradictions

Formed in January 2025, the party has struggled with this contradiction since its inception. Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh won the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as an Independent and remains unapologetic about his support for Khalistan while currently lodged in Dibrugarh Jail over a police station attack case. Meanwhile, the party's mainstream discussions have mostly focused on drugs and other social issues. In July 2024, Amritpal's mother, Balwinder Kaur, stated he was not a supporter of Khalistan, though Amritpal quickly released a statement contradicting her.

Exit Over Stance

Niranjan Singh joined the party and stated in multiple interviews that he rejected Khalistan, insisting there was no place in the party for anything outside the Constitution. Although the party did not publicly distance itself from his remarks, Niranjan announced his departure shortly after, wishing the party well. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), led by Simranjit Singh Mann, has similarly struggled to expand beyond a limited electoral base despite consistently contesting elections on the issue of Khalistan.

Ideology And Imagery

The party's campaign rallies and materials continue to feature Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Sikh militants, and human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. However, references to Bhindranwale are not unique to pro-Khalistan groups, as Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have maintained ties with the Damdami Taksal, which reveres him, and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders have also spoken of him respectfully. Gangveer Singh Rathore, a Hindu leader and WPD spokesperson, defended the use of the term "Khalsa Raj" as a constitutional synonym for Khalistan, pointing to the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh as a shared Punjabi experience of welfare and just governance.

Context

Balancing regional identity politics with mainstream democratic participation is a long-standing challenge for political groups in Punjab. Parties navigating these sensitive religious and historical symbols often attempt to broaden their electoral appeal without alienating their core ideological supporters.