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SAD lost core vote bank, even BSP alliance futile: Parminder Dhindsa
SAD (Sanyukt) leader says the party launched by his father and Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa along with Ranjit Singh Brahmpura represents real Akali Dal
Former Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said on Monday that Shiromani Akali Dal has lost its traditional vote bank and even workers of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), with which it has forged an alliance, will not vote for it in the 2022 state assembly elections.
“The SAD always took decisions against the interests of its core voters, including farmers and Panth. Even the BSP cadre will not vote in its favour as they are not happy with this opportunistic alliance,” said Dhindsa, who represents Lehra assembly segment and is a leader of the newly floated SAD (Sanyukt).
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Dhindsa said that though the Badal faction claims to represent the SAD, there is “nothing like Akalis” in their policies.
“We will give Punjab the real Akali Dal,” he said. His father and Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa floated SAD (Sanyukt) along with Ranjit Singh Brahmpura last month after the dissolution of SAD (Democratic) and SAD (Taksali). The senior Dhindsa is its president.
To escalate party activities, Parminder Dhindsa kicked off a greenery drive by planting saplings at Mastuana Sahib, around 10 kilometers from Sangrur, on Monday, and announced that its youth cadre will run the drive across the state for one month in the memory of farmers who died during protests against the three contentious agriculture laws.
Dhindsa said the party is still in talks with like-minded parties, even as Sukhpal Singh Khaira moved to the ruling Congress from the Aam Aadmi Party and the BSP forged an alliance with the SAD.
“All avenues are always open in politics. We may go in alliance with anyone except Badals, Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress,” he said.
