Ludhiana, May 23 -- The internal discord within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) escalated with Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali launching a scathing counterattack against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The confrontation has laid bare deep divisions in the century-old party, raising fresh questions about its direction and leadership. A day after Sukhbir publicly labelled Ayali a "traitor" and vowed never to allow his return to the party fold, Ayali responded with a strongly worded video message on social media. In the message, Ayali dismissed allegations of personal gain and reaffirmed his loyalty to SAD's core Panthic ideology. "This is not a fight for positions or benefits. It's about safeguarding the values the SAD was built on," Ayali said. "My actions, both in the assembly and outside, have always reflected my commitment to Punjab, the Panth, and the people," he added. The rift deepened when Sukhbir, while addressing a farmers' gathering near the GLADA office in Ludhiana over a land acquisition issue, accused Ayali of turning his back on the party that helped him rise politically. He alleged that Ayali had benefitted from various developmental projects such as sports parks and bypass roads during the SAD-led government. Ayali, however, refuted the claims, stating he had never used his political position for personal enrichment. He cited his principled opposition to key decisions during the previous SAD regime, including the appointment of Sumedh Singh Saini as the Punjab director general of police and the controversial pardon granted to the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim. He also recalled his decision to boycott the presidential election vote as a mark of solidarity with Punjab's farmers at the peak of the protests against the now-repealed farm laws. In a direct challenge to Sukhbir's leadership, Ayali called for urgent introspection within SAD and urged the president to make way for new voices. He emphasised the need for a generational shift in leadership. "If we want to rebuild the SAD, we need clean leadership with fresh ideas and people who understand today's Punjab," Ayali said....