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Ex-SAD chief Talwandi’s son joins Dhindsa, says Sukhbir lacks vision
On July 8, a faction of dissident Akali leaders had elected Dhindsa as the SAD president at a gurdwara in Ludhiana. The SAD, however, had termed the move illegal and fraud
Mohali Former MLA of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Ranjit Singh Talwandi on Thursday joined the splinter Akali group floated by Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, at a gurdwara in Phase-11, Mohali. Former SAD MLA Desh Raj Dhuggal also joined the Dhindsa group.
Talwandi is son of former SAD president Jagdev Singh Talwandi who remained associated with Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal for many years.
On his reasons for joining Dhindsa, Talwandi said, “All these months, I have been noticing the activities of the Badals. Sukhbir Singh Badal has been running the SAD like a corporate office. Now, since Dhindsa is the true leader of the party and I have decided to join him.”
Ranjit Singh remained MLA from Raikot constituency from 1997 to 2002 and was also chairman of the Punjab Small Industries and Exports Corporation (PSIEC). “The junior Badal lacks vision and is running the party like a dictator. Parkash Singh Badal appointed him SAD president without looking at merit,” he alleged.
Dhindsa alleged that the entire Punjab knew that the Badal family were hand-in-glove with Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh over the Bargari sacrilege issue to save the accused. “The clear-cut effort to save those guilty in the sacrilege case and the misleading of public is visible. Despite the Congress being in power, the business interests of Badals remained unaffected,” he alleged.
He added that their party would form committees at every level so that a proper road map can be prepared for effective functioning. To a pointed query from a reporter on whether former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra will be joining their party, Dhindsa said, “There is a long list. Just wait for another 10 days.”
Others present included former ministers Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Jagdish Singh Garcha, former deputy speaker Punjab, Bir Devinder Singh, former president of Delhi Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Manjit Singh GK and senior SAD leader Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu.
On July 8, a faction of dissident Akali leaders had elected Dhindsa as the SAD president at a gurdwara in Ludhiana. The SAD, however, had termed the move illegal and fraud.
