The entire ‘Panth’ and Punjabis have “lost trust” in the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD, as its leadership always prioritised personal interests instead of resolving the state’s issues, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De leader Manpreet Singh Ayali alleged on Saturday.Ayali’s salvo comes days after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Badal mounted an attack on the jailed Amritpal Singh-led Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, calling it “Virus Punjab De” and asking people if they want the return of the “era of bloodshed”.Amritpal’s father Tarsem Singh also slammed Badal for his dig at the jailed Khadoor Sahib MP and said they do not need any certificate from the SAD president whom people of Punjab “hate” a lot.Over the past few days, Badal has been attacking the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De and Amritpal Singh in his political speeches during rallies.Badal alleged that Amritpal Singh tried to incite people by raising the slogan of Khalistan but ran away immediately when a few police personnel came to nab him.”This is not the character of a Panthic leader,” Badal had said.Replying to Badal’s accusations, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De leader Tarsem Singh said the SAD has been “finished” by the Badal family for their “personal interests”.They committed “frauds and sins” with the people of Punjab, he further alleged.Amritpal’s fight against the drug menace was acknowledged by the people of Punjab because of which he won the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in 2024, he claimed.”We do not need to take any certificate from Badal. He is rattled, and people of Punjab hate him a lot,” Tarsem Singh said.If the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De forms the government after the 2027 assembly polls, it will curb the drug menace, he further said while speaking to reporters here.Replying to a question, Ayali said the SAD has been “finished” by its leadership as it cited the dismal electoral performance of the Badal-led outfit during the 2017 and 2022 assembly polls and 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.Referring to the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, Ayali said there was a need for a regional party, which is why it came into being. “We are getting big support from every section,” he said.To a question on entering into an alliance with any party for the 2027 assembly polls, Ayali said, “We are fighting for ‘Panth’ and Punjab, and our objective is to establish ‘Panthic’ and a regional outfit.” “Our agreement cannot be for a chair. Our agreement can be with a Panthic body. We will take a decision as per the sentiments of the ‘Panth’,” said Ayali.Targeting the SAD leadership, Ayali said it always gave priority to occupying a chair or a ministry in the Union government while “ignoring” the resolution of Punjab’s issues.This is the reason why the entire ‘Panth’ and Punjab completely lost trust in this party, he claimed.Ayali also referred to the recent Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) polls in which SAD’s student wing Students’ Organisation of India (SOI) extended support to the RSS-affiliated ABVP.There is anger in the Sikh community over it, he claimed.When asked whether it may tie up with any central party, Ayali said, “Our motive is to fight for ‘Panth’ and Punjab and strengthen the regional party… We have to take our rights from the Centre. We are not begging,” as he pointed to the river water issue, transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab and more rights for the state.Taking a dig at the central leaders of the BJP without naming them, Ayali said, “BJP leaders will not resolve Punjab’s issues by visiting the state wearing turbans. Punjab’s rights, farmers’ demands, release of Bandi Singhs and other issues need to be resolved.”“We will not enter into any alliance by going against sentiments of the ‘Panth’,” he added.