Chamkaur Singh contested the 2022 election from Mehal Kalan as the SAD–BSP alliance candidate and finished fourth with 10,394 votes (9%). The result once again showed that alliance arithmetic did not translate into real traction on the ground, especially as AAP surged and Akali votes remained split. As 2027 approaches, a bigger question stares the Shiromani Akali Dal in the face: Should SAD continue to rely on alliance candidates like Chamkaur Singh in Mehal Kalan or is it time to rebuild and field its own strong, rooted face to reclaim relevance in the constituency ?
चमकौर सिंह ने 2022 में महल कलां से शिरोमणि अकाली दल–बहुजन समाज पार्टी गठबंधन के उम्मीदवार के रूप में चुनाव लड़ा, लेकिन केवल 10,394 मत (9%) के साथ चौथे स्थान पर रहे। नतीजे ने एक बार फिर दिखाया कि गठबंधन का गणित ज़मीन पर असर में नहीं बदल पाया, खासकर जब आम आदमी पार्टी मज़बूत होकर उभरी और अकाली वोट बंटे रहे। 2027 की ओर बढ़ते हुए, शिरोमणि अकाली दल के सामने बड़ा सवाल है, क्या अकाली दल को महल कलां में ऐसे गठबंधन उम्मीदवारों पर निर्भर रहना चाहिए या अब समय आ गया है कि वह अपनी पार्टी से जुड़े, मज़बूत और स्थानीय चेहरे को मैदान में उतारे ?
Kuldeep Singh Lubana contested Jalandhar North in 2022 as the SAD–BSP candidate, but the seat once again slipped away from the Akali Dal. Soon after, Lubana himself moved on and joined the Aam Aadmi Party, leaving the Akali camp thinner than before. With Jalandhar North historically swinging between Congress and BJP, and Akali Dal failing to crack it for years, the exit of even its alliance candidate is notable. As 2027 approaches, does the Shiromani Akali Dal even have a credible face left for Jalandhar North or has the constituency effectively moved out of Akali reach altogether ?
