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Punjab Cong leader Sidana may join SAD
Sidana, a member of the Kandi Area Development Board (KADB) till a few months ago, is likely to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) along with several of his associates
Chandigarh
Days after Congress leader Raman Behl joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), party’s Punjab unit intellectual cell chairman Anish Sidana, a senior leader from the Hindu community, appears set to leave the party.
Sidana, a member of the Kandi Area Development Board (KADB) till a few months ago, is likely to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) along with several of his associates. “He has already had a few rounds of meetings with SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and is tentatively scheduled to join the party this week,” said sources close to the Congress leader.
The intellectual cell chairman’s exit, if it goes according to plan, will be a setback for the ruling party, which is already facing the challenge of retaining its Hindu leaders. The rival parties, SAD and AAP, have also started making efforts to woo its Hindu and OBC leaders.
On November 9, Behl had joined the AAP, which has been looking to expand its base in Majha, after resigning from the post of chairman of Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board. In June, former MLA Ashwani Sekhri was to join the SAD, but changed his mind at the last minute after Congress leaders reached out to him.
Sidana, who belongs to Jalalabad and remained opposed to Sukhbir in the past, has been from time to time voicing his concerns regarding their lack of adequate representation.
On October 31, Sidana, in an “open letter” to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, raised the issues of neglect of leaders of these communities, lack of consultation with dedicated workers and indiscipline in the party. Six months ago, he had resigned from KADB over some of these issues.
