A two-time Akali Dal MLA from Sahnewal and a former cabinet minister, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon entered the 2022 contest with experience and familiarity on his side. Yet, he finished third with 41,772 votes (23.4%), as the seat slipped away amid a shifting political mood. Once considered Akali Dal’s natural face in Sahnewal, his loss raised tough questions about legacy versus relevance. As 2027 approaches, does Dhillon still remain the party’s safest bet here or has Sahnewal moved on from past candidates ? And can experience alone counter changing voter expectations ?
साहनेवाल से दो बार अकाली दल के विधायक और पूर्व कैबिनेट मंत्री रहे शरणजीत सिंह ढिल्लों 2022 का चुनाव अनुभव और पहचान के साथ लड़े। लेकिन बदलते राजनीतिक माहौल में उन्हें 41,772 वोट (23.4%) के साथ तीसरे स्थान पर संतोष करना पड़ा। कभी साहनेवाल में अकाली दल का स्वाभाविक चेहरा माने जाने वाले ढिल्लों की हार ने विरासत बनाम प्रासंगिकता पर सवाल खड़े कर दिए। 2027 नज़दीक आते ही सवाल साफ है, क्या ढिल्लों अब भी पार्टी के लिए सबसे सुरक्षित विकल्प हैं या साहनेवाल पुराने उम्मीदवारों से आगे बढ़ चुका है ? और क्या सिर्फ अनुभव बदलती मतदाता अपेक्षाओं का सामना कर पाएगा ?
Janmeja Singh Sekhon’s long political career, from MLA and Cabinet Minister to senior Akali face, hit a roadblock when he lost Zira in 2022 with 41,258 votes. Since then, his focus appears to have shifted back to Maur, where he remains more active. Meanwhile, Akali Dal’s mid-2025 induction of Harpreet Singh Hero, now the halqa incharge of Zira and son of late former MLA Harcharan Singh Hero, has altered the local political equation. As 2027 approaches, has Akali Dal quietly moved on from Sekhon in Zira ? And is Hero’s elevation a signal that the party is betting on legacy plus local connect to reclaim the seat ?
