Punjab’s panthic vote is no longer a dependable bloc for one political organisation. The contest is being shaped by the weakening of the Shiromani Akali Dal’s traditional base, the rise of newer panthic voices and attempts by larger parties to build relationships with religious and rural voters.
The Akali Dal’s decision to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election separately from the BJP coincided with a sharp reduction in its vote share. It won only Bathinda. Analysts connect the party’s credibility problems to the 2015 sacrilege controversy, the Dera Sacha Sauda pardon dispute, allegations of dynastic politics and dissatisfaction among traditional workers.
The Aam Aadmi Party used justice in sacrilege cases and Bhagwant Mann’s local Jat-Sikh image to make inroads in the Majha and Malwa regions. Amritpal Singh’s 2024 victory from Khadoor Sahib, while he was in jail, signalled a new direction among some young panthic voters.
Waris Punjab De has foregrounded detained Sikhs, opposition to drugs and Sikh identity. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) remains an ideological force, while the BJP is seeking wider acceptance through religious institutions. The Akali Dal is returning to issues including river-water rights, Akal Takht autonomy and opposition to state intervention.
The next assembly election will test whether any party can unite this scattered support. At present, the panthic vote is better understood as a competition for trust than as a permanent possession.