Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) Names Jailed MP Amritpal Singh as Chief Minister Candidate

On July 23, 2026 Punjabi actor Rabby Kandola joined the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) in Chandigarh. Party leader Manpreet Singh Ayali said his entry will strengthen the party's social outreach and grassroots support.

The party also announced that jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, detained under the National Security Act in Dibrugarh jail, will be its chief‑ministerial candidate and will contest the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for early next year. While incarcerated, Singh won the 2024 Lok Sabha seat from Khadoor Sahib as an independent candidate.

These moves occur amid realignments in Sikh‑panthic politics, including a split in the breakaway Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjeet) and an alliance with Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De). The party said it will soon release a vision document covering farmers, youth, traders and industry.