BATHINDA, Aug. 27 -- Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday launched a frontal attack on Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh and his outfit, Waris Punjab De, accusing them of colluding with unnamed political powers to position themselves as the "saviours of Punjab."

Addressing a party rally in Malout in Muktsar district, Sukhbir questioned the radical leader's motives and credibility, warning that Amritpal would "prove worse than Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann" if given power.

Sukhbir's blunt offensive comes in the wake of Waris Punjab De's aggressive move to capture the state's Panthic political space ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The outfit recently announced seven candidates, including Amrit...