M A I N   N E W S

Haryana Akalis sever ties with SAD
Tribune News Service

Members of the SAD in Haryana attend a meeting in Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Ambala, on Sunday. — Photo by Neeraj Chopra

Ambala, March 28
The Haryana unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) today rebelled against the party’s high command.

The Haryana unit decided to sever ties with the SAD (Badal), and formed an independent political party at a meeting held at Manji Sahib Gurdwara in Ambala City this afternoon.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Gobindgarh, who was elected president of the Shiromani Akali Dal Haryana, said that “we will not take orders from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). We are independent”.

Mr Gobindgarh said that they had decided to contest Lok Sabha elections from atleast two seats in Haryana. “Our candidates are going to contest from Ambala and Kurukshetra. The candidate for Ambala is Headmaster Raunaq Singh. We are going to decide the candidate for Kurukshetra very soon,” he said.

He stated that they had decided to rebel against the party high command due to the indifferent attitude of the party’s leadership. “Mr Parkash Singh Badal does not have any understanding of our issues. Our pleas did not have the desired effect. Instead, the orders from the party leadership was not in the interest of Sikhs in Haryana,” he said.

Mr Gobindgarh said that the new party would to contest the election on its own steam. “We have taken the step to form an independent party due to constant interference from Punjab leadership,” he said.

Mr Kartar Singh Takkar, chief general secretary of the newly formed party, said that the decision to sever ties was taken under duress. “Our party high command does not seem to be bothered about us. The SAD (Badal) has been turned into a family party,” he claimed.

Mr Takkar observed that the situation was not in favour of SAD (Badal). “We will lose more votes if the current trend continues,” he said. “Suitable persons have not been given party ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. The allocation of ticket in Tarn Taran and Ludhiana shows that wise decision has not been taken and old party workers have been ignored,” he claimed.

Criticising Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Takkar said that on one hand, Mr Badal says that he cannot leave Mr Om Prakash Chautala and on the other hand, he extends support to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

A key functionary, Mr Didar Singh Habdi, expressed his inability to join the new outfit. “Keeping in mind the previous incidents, I have decided not to join the new party. However, I am ready to extend monetary support to the new party’s nominee for the Kurukshetra seat,” he said.

Mr Gobindgarh and Mr Takkar stressed that they were going to take up issues concerning Sikhs and Punjabis during the election campaign. “We are in favour of Haryana. We do not have anything to do with Punjab,” they said.