COURTESY ET SEPT 22
NEW PARTY TO CONTEST NEXT ELECTIONS TO SGPC, PUNJAB ASSEMBLY
SAD on Verge of Split; Dhindsa Set to Approach EC for SAD(D)
CL.Manoj@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:
Even as the Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) relations with BJP have run into trouble over the contentious farm legislations, the party’s rebel faction led by former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has decided to approach the Election Commission for registering their outfit Shiromani Akali Dal (Democrat) as a new political party.
The new party will contest the next elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Punjab assembly.
“We have decided to register our outfit, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Democrat), as a new political party. In consultations with our colleagues and lawyers, we are now finalising the legal documents and affidavits and will soon move an application with the EC for registration of our party. SAD (D) will contest the coming SGPC and Punjab assembly elections,” Dhindsa told ET.
Dhindsa along with his supporters had been “expelled” from SAD in February for “anti-party activities”. They had floated SAD (A) as a platform (which had “removed” Sukhbir Badal from SAD leadership) and had been working along with some other factions. “Our party will provide a platform to all those who have been disillusioned with the degeneration of SAD into a Badal family-controlled anti-democratic outfit. SAD has lost its base among the people of Punjab and the community due to the autocratic manner in which the leadership, especially Sukhbir Badal, has been functioning,” said Dhindsa.
Dhindsa dismissed SAD protest against the contentious farm legislations and resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Cabinet as a “fake show”. “SAD’s protest and her (Badal) resignation from the Cabinet are fake shows. They were forced to do that because the agitating farmers were threatening to not allow them enter even their own houses. Everybody in Punjab knows SAD and the Badals have been happily backing the Modi government, and sharing power, even after the anti-farmer ordinances were promulgated and even when farmers and political parties and many organisations, including us, were vehemently opposing these anti-farmers initiatives.”
Dhindsa said his outfit is totally opposed to the contentious farms legislation tooth and nail. Speaking about his outfit’s approach to the Centre, he said it will be “issue-based”.
He said many senior leaders, including former SAD state ministers Jagdish Singh Garcha, Parminder Singh Dhindsa (his son), former LS member Parminder Kaur Gulshan, former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia and senior leaders Manjit Singh GK will be part of the new party