Considered the grand old Panthic party, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is attempting to reinvent itself with a new avatar ahead of the crucial Assembly election next year.After targeting its traditional taksali vote bank through 43 rallies, party president Sukhbir Singh Badal has now shifted focus to striking a chord with Gen-Z voters in Punjab.During a student interaction programme titled “Vibe Punjab Di”, Sukhbir Badal sought to present a more personal image to the younger generation. From revealing his nickname “Lali”, Badal also shared insights into his relationship with his father, wife and children.The generational outreach programme marks a strategic shift from SAD’s conventional reliance on rural and religious constituencies, as the leadership seeks to broaden its appeal and re-establish relevance among the youth.Senior party leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the interaction programmes with the next generation are focused on bringing them into the party fold.Sources said SAD decided to target Gen-Z after observing that the protest at Jantar Mantar spearheaded by Gen-Z pushed the Centre-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on the back foot and forced the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also intensifying his youth connect programmes across the country, including a planned visit to Punjab.During the student interaction programme titled “Vibe Punjab Di” in Patiala, Sukhbir Badal sought to present a more personal image to the younger generation. He shared anecdotes from his college days, his relationship with his father Parkash Singh Badal, and his bond with his daughters. He described himself as a friend to his children and spoke of his fondness for pizza, pasta and Coke.He also recalled how his father, often jailed during political struggles, once visited his school and asked for him by his nickname. Sukhbir said he had learned from his father’s philosophy of “making your line longer so you don’t have to compete with anyone”.Party insiders confirmed that SAD’s IT cell and media teams have been instructed to intensify activity on social media platforms popular with Gen-Z.SAD chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kaler said the aim was to counter what he termed “misinformation” by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which he accused of taking credit for development projects initiated during the SAD-BJP regime.He stressed that the party wanted to highlight its record from 2007 to 2017, including four-lane road connectivity across districts, new thermal plants, and the establishment of premier institutions such as AIIMS, IIT, IISER, NIPER and ISB in Punjab.Sukhbir also pointed to fiscal achievements, noting that the state’s debt-to-GSDP ratio was reduced from 46 to 32 per cent, while VAT collections rose from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 20,000 crore annually.