India, Nov. 15 -- The Tarn Taran bypoll result has provided a much-needed morale boost for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa, the SAD candidate, secured second place, maintaining a competitive position throughout the 16 rounds of counting, despite the eventual win of AAP's Harmeet Singh Sandhu. Randhawa's performance is seen as a positive signal for the party, especially as she led the first three rounds before trailing Sandhu. Analysts believe the result marks the revival of moderate Panthic politics under Sukhbir Singh Badal's leadership, with the breakaway faction led by Giani Harpreet Singh failing to gain legitimacy. Despite AAP's dominance, the SAD managed to hold its ground in Tarn Taran, finishing ahead of rival factions, including the 'Waris Punjab De' group, led by Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh. "The result signals a trend reversal for SAD, reaffirming the importance of Panthic unity and the SAD-BJP alliance for upholding Hindu-Sikh harmony in Punjab," said Amanpreet Gill, associate professor of political science at Khalsa College, New Delhi. "The breakaway SAD now faces uncertainty. These results help rebuild Sukhbir's image as the leader of moderate Panthic politics," said Jagrup Singh Sekhon, former head of political science department at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. The outcome is significant for SAD, which has been struggling after a sharp decline in recent elections - from 15 assembly seats in 2017 to just three in 2022, and only one Lok Sabha seat in 2024. "The results proves that our party has a wide scope provided we work hard and all our efforts are directed in one direction under party president," said an upbeat party leader from Tarn Taran Nashhatar Singh. - Gurpreet Singh Nibber...