Amid ongoing discussions over a possible political alliance in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has delivered a major setback to the BJP. Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal personally reached Dhuri in Sangrur district to induct former MLA Arvind Khanna into the party.
Arvind Khanna was serving as the Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Punjab. His induction into the Shiromani Akali Dal is being seen as a significant political development, especially at a time when alliance talks are making headlines.
Khanna is known as a prominent industrialist in the region and has built a strong public image through years of social service via the Umeed Foundation, particularly in the Sangrur constituency. Politically, he began his career with the Congress and was elected MLA from Sangrur in 2002. He also contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections but lost to Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.
In 2012, Khanna contested the Dhuri Assembly seat and registered a one-sided victory, which established him as a strong regional leader. However, after the Congress failed to form the government, he resigned from the Assembly within two years and temporarily withdrew from active politics, shutting down his businesses and institutions in the area before leaving the city.
Arvind Khanna has also been considered close to former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. His return to active politics through the Akali Dal is expected to reshape political equations in the Sangrur–Dhuri belt and intensify pressure on the BJP ahead of upcoming electoral battles.