Patiala, June 15 -- A nearly hour-long meeting between Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Sanaur, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, on Sunday set off fresh speculation of the latter returning to SAD. Badal was visiting the MLA's residence at his native Pathanmajra village in Patiala district to attend the bhog ceremony of an Akhand Path at his home. The meeting assumes significance as Pathanmajra hasbeen at odds with his own party since last year when he openly rebelled against the rulingAAP government, alleging poor management of rainwater, which led to widespread flooding in his constituency and the state. Given his prolonged estrangement from the AAP leadership and his long-standing association with Badal, whom he often describes as his "political guru", the Sunday meeting fuelled conjecture about his next political move. Just two weeks ago, Pathanmajra had walked out of Bathinda Central Jail on June 1, a day after the Punjab and Haryana high court granted him regular bail in a 2025 rape and cheating case. He is also facing an illegal sand mining case. Following his release, the MLA had alleged that he was a victim of a political conspiracy and had been implicated in fabricated rape and illegal mining cases. While neither Badal nor Pathanmajra made any political statement following the meeting, leaders present at the event maintained that the SAD chief had visited solely to attend the religious ceremony and pay his respects to the family. Several senior Akali leaders accompanied Badal during the visit, including SAD district president (rural) Jagmeet Singh Haryau, former Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma and Jaspal Singh Bittu Chatha. On the other hand, none of the AAP legislators from Patiala district attended the ceremony, highlighting his growing isolation within the ruling party. Speaking to HT, Pathanmajra said, "It was a family function and I had invited him. I am still with the AAP. I will consider changing my party only if the AAP government fails to complete the pending developmental works in my constituency." Pathanmajra has switched political affiliations several times over the years. He remained associated with the Congress, alongside his father, until 1994, when the two joined the SAD. After spending over two decades with the SAD, where he also served as the Patiala Youth Akali Dal president, he returned to the Congress in 2017, hoping to secure a ticket from the Sanaur assembly segment. Denied a ticket, he contested the election as an independent but lost to the SAD candidate. He rejoined the Congress in 2019 before moving to the AAP a year later. He went on to win the Sanaur seat in the 2022 assembly polls, defeating the SAD nominee....