Dissident Akali leaders ‘elect’ Sukhdev Dhindsa as SAD chief; party says move ‘illegal, fraud’

Ludhiana, July 7

A faction of dissident Akali leaders on Tuesday “elected” Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa as the SAD president at a gurdwara here, a move dubbed as “illegal and fraud” by the party.

Currently, Sukhbir Singh Badal is the party president.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, along with his son and former state finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, was expelled from the SAD in February this year allegedly for “anti-party” activities.

Dhindsa later joined hands with the party’s splinter groups, including the SAD (Taksali). 

Proposing the name of Dhindsa for the post of the president, two-time Lok Sabha member Parminder Kaur Gulshan said the Sangrur convention held recently under the chairmanship of the leader had “removed” Sukhbir Singh Badal from the post of the party president.

She said Dhindsa, a “newly elected president” of the SAD, will function from the party office in Amritsar.

Jagdish Singh Garcha and Harjit Kaur Talwandi, daughter of former party president the late Jagdev Singh Talwandi, seconded the proposal.

Dhindsa was “declared the president” of the SAD amidst slogans of “jo bole so nihal”.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal’s senior leader Daljeet Singh Cheema described this move as “illegal and fraud” and accused the expelled leader of acting at the behest of the Congress.

Cheema said the SAD is a 100-year-old party which is registered with the Election Commission of India.

“What they have done is 100 per cent fraud. It is illegal and amounts to forgery. They are doing it at the behest of the Congress,” alleged Cheema.

The SAD had earlier alleged that the Rajya Sabha MP and his son Parminder Dhindsa were being used as “pawns” by the Congress in a bid to weaken the “panthic” party.

However, Dhindsa on the occasion said the party will strive hard to establish the eroded principles of the Sikh politics and liberate Sikh institutions from the “clutches” of Badals.

He asserted that they will fight to solve major issues of Punjab and to strengthen the federal system in the country.

Dhindsa said the party will pay a special attention to the farming community and work for improving the condition of the Dalits and minorities.

The party will work for the eradication of mafias involved in “looting” sand, transport, liquor and other natural resources of the state, said Dhindsa.

Appreciating the contribution of NRIs to the state economy and development, Dhindsa said the party will accord priority to get their problems resolved.

He added that women had always made exemplary contributions to all Sikh movements and their services will be honoured by giving them due representation in party.

Former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia; Manjit Singh GK, former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC); former state deputy speaker Bir Davinder Singh; SAD (Taksali) leader Sewa Singh Sekhwan; ex-Punjab minister Jagdish Singh Garcha and his brother Maan Singh Charcha; and Parminder Singh Dhindsa were present on the occasion. — PTI