ABSTRACT
The chapter takes up the study of politics of Punjab as it evolved during the colonial period from the vantage point of the making of the Sikhs as a political community that reached to milestone with the formation of the Shiromani Akali Dal, a panthic party that has shaped the politics of Punjab since its inception. It refers to the birth of the party as a movement party which was ideologically driven. After the success of the Gurdwara reform movement, the Sikh leadership focussed on securing adequate representation of the communities in the law making bodies. It was in this context that Akali leadership relationship with the Congress and other parties like the Unionist Party and Muslim League was defined.
