Thandal joins BJP, gets ticket

Shiromani Akali Dal has lost another big wicket as its former minister and four-time MLA Sohan Singh Thandal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this afternoon. In the evening, the BJP announced him as its candidate for the Chabbewal (reserved) Assembly bypoll.

The nomination papers for November 13 bypoll are to be filed by October 25. After he joined the saffron party in the presence of Punjab incharge Vijay Rupani, former Union MoS Som Prakash, ex-MPs Sushil Rinku and Shwait Malik, former minister Tikshan Sood, ex-MLA Sheetal Angural and general secretary Parminder Brar, Thandal said although he has joined the BJP, he has no grudges with SAD or the Badal family.

Having an image of an old ‘Taksali’ Akali leader in the area, Thandal first became an MLA from Mahilpur and then from Chabbewal. He had also been a minister and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) in Akali governments. He faced defeat in the 2017 and 2022 Vidhan Sabha election from Congress’ Dr Raj Kumar.