Surjit Singh Rakhra, a former minister in Punjab, has officially joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after being expelled from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) faction led by Sukhbir Singh Badal. Rakhra, who has served as the revenue and rehabilitation minister and is a two-time MLA from the Samana assembly constituency, was welcomed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a ceremony in his native village in Patiala district. Mann praised Rakhra as an experienced and honest leader, asserting that he had been affiliated with the 'wrong party'. He criticized the SAD for its diminishing public trust due to its involvement in sacrilege incidents and ineffective governance. Rakhra cited the AAP government's initiatives, including the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, aimed at preserving the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib, as pivotal in his decision to join AAP. His entry is expected to influence the political dynamics in the Samana constituency, currently held by AAP's Chetan Singh Jauramajra. In response to Rakhra's departure, SAD (Punar Surjit) announced the formation of a disciplinary committee to uphold organizational discipline.