Already grappling with an exodus of its leaders, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) suffered yet another setback after three-time Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Ranjit Singh Chhajalwaddi joined AAP along with his son Satinderjit Singh Chhajalwaddi.Rajbir Singh Ghuman, OSD to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, facilitated their induction into AAP.Satinderjit Singh Chhajalwaddi was the incumbent constituency in-charge for SAD (Punar Surjit).He had contested the 2022 Assembly election from the Jandiala Guru constituency.The Chief Minister’s OSD, Rajbir Ghuman, said the Chhajalwaddi family has maintained a long-standing connection with the people of the Baba Bakala constituency.While welcoming the Chhajalwaddi family, he assured them that they would be accorded due respect.Political circles view this development as a significant boost for AAP in the Baba Bakala constituency.Earlier, former Akali minister Surjit Singh Rakhra and Karan Singh DTO had joined AAP. DTO is the husband of former Akali Dal MLA Varinder Kaur Loomba.Rakhra has been made the halqa in-charge (constituency head) for Samana, raising questions about the political future of sitting AAP MLA Chetan Singh Jouramajra.Rakhra’s appointment has triggered speculation about whether he could be the party’s candidate from the constituency in the 2027 Assembly election. The appointment, however, does not by itself indicate the party’s final candidate selection.AAP inducted Rakhra into the party in May this year in the presence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.Besides Rakhra, Manpreet Singh Ayali, SAD MLA from Dakha constituency in Ludhiana who was one of the senior founder leaders of SAD (Punar Surjit), has joined Akali Dal Waris Punjab De.Earlier in April, Barjinder Singh Brar, son of former Punjab education minister Tota Singh, announced his resignation from the party, citing serious ideological and ethical concerns, and returned to SAD.