Patiala, Nov. 7 -- Three-time former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra on Friday returned to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by Sukhbir Singh Badal, after a one-year association with breakaway faction SAD (Punar Surjit). His son and former Sanaur MLA Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra also rejoined the Akali Dal. Chandumajra, who won the Patiala Lok Sabha seat in 1996 and 1998 and Anandpur Sahib in 2014, all three times on the Badal-led SAD ticket, parted ways with the party in 2024 amid differences within the leadership. He subsequently became associated with the Akali Sudhar Lehar, the reform movement that led to the formation of SAD (Punar Surjit) in August 2025. On Wednesday, Chandumajra resigned from all positions in the SAD (Punar Surjit), citing the need for unity among Akali factions. Welcoming the leaders, Sukhbir announced Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra's appointment as the party's halqa in-charge from the Sanaur assembly constituency. He appealed to all rebel Akali leaders who had left the party for various reasons to return to their "mother party", saying they should unite in the larger interest of Punjab and the Panth. Sukhbir said more leaders who had left the SAD were likely to return in the coming days and that the party would continue efforts to bring estranged leaders back into its fold. In a post on X, Sukhbir said the homecoming of the Chandumajra family and their team had significantly strengthened the party and finished off the so-called "Nawan Chulha Dal". He also expressed confidence that with the return of the old team, the SAD would win all assembly seats in the Patiala district and form the government in Punjab with a clear majority. Speaking on the occasion, Prem Singh Chandumajra said he was influenced by Sukhbir's appeal for Panthic unity against what he described as anti-Punjab forces, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He also appealed to other Akali leaders who had left the party to return. Referring to the December 2, 2024, edict of the Akal Takht, Chandumajra said it had called for unity among Akali factions. He said the directive to "bake flour in one chulha" conveyed the highest Sikh temporal authority's sentiment for Panthic unity. Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, meanwhile, assured the SAD president that he would work towards strengthening the party inSanaur. Even as Chandumajra's return dealt a blow to SAD (Punar Surjit), another senior leader of the faction, former SGPC president Jagir Kaur, has indicated following suit. In interviews to news channels, Kaur said the objective behind forming the Punar Surjit group-to undo the damage to Akali Dal and revive the party-had not been achieved. She also pointed out that the faction had yet to be registered with the Election Commission of India....