Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday stirred the Panthic political pot in poll-bound Punjab by seeking parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence in the assassination case of former CM Beant Singh.In a letter to the Governor, Mann urged Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to allow Hawara 10 days’ parole as a humanitarian gesture so that he could tend to his aged and ailing mother. The letter, written by the CM, came close on the heels of his meeting with the Governor on Friday.With the Panthic political space in Punjab witnessing a churn ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, Mann’s intervention in Hawara’s parole plea has the potential to acquire significance far beyond the humanitarian grounds cited in the petition.The move also comes in the wake of the announcement by Quomi Insaf Morcha to gherao the residence of the Punjab Governor on August 15, seeking the release of “Bandi Singhs” — those arrested for acts of terrorism who remain incarcerated in different prisons for long periods.The release of these Sikh prisoners is becoming a major political issue in Sikh politics.The CM’s letter also comes close on the heels of a high-profile meeting between Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Friday, which has sparked speculation about a possible reunion of the Akali Dal and the BJP. A possible alliance between the two could force the AAP to change its political strategy.It is a rarest of rare case where a sitting CM has sought parole for an accused in the assassination case of one of his predecessors.In his letter, Mann cited the petition filed by Hawara before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking parole, as well as the court’s reported directions to consider his application.Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang, too, endorsed the letter written by the CM, saying it was not a matter of politics but one of compassion and of upholding the sanctity of the sacred bond between mother and son.By raising the issue now, Mann and the AAP are seemingly trying to reclaim some of the Panthic space that is increasingly being contested by the emerging Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh.The timing is crucial, as the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) has been expanding its political footprint ahead of the Assembly elections. The outfit has already announced that Amritpal Singh will be its chief ministerial face, while its leadership has been emphasising Panthic issues alongside Hindu-Sikh unity.The political challenge for the AAP, therefore, is not simply to retain its existing vote share but also to prevent the emergence of a consolidated Panthic alternative that could eat into its rural and Sikh vote base.It may be mentioned that Hawara enjoys support among sections of the Sikh community because he was appointed acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht by the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa.