Former finance minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Lehragaga Parminder Singh Dhindsa resigned from the post of party’s chief of legislature group in Punjab vidhan sabha, on Friday. He was holding the post since August 2, 2019.
The resignation was handed over to party president Sukhbir Singh Badal before party’s core committee meeting in Chandigarh, and it was accepted. The party has appointed Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon as legislature group leader.
The move is seen as a first step towards his exit from the party to join his father Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who has joined the anti-Badals bandwagon. Dhindsa Senior was party’s secretary general for many years and stepped down from all party posts, but hasn’t quit the primary membership of the party.
“I am so happy that he (Parminder) has joined me,” said Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Dhindsa, adding “gradually all SAD leaders whose conscious is alive will join him”. “The way new leader of the legislature party was appointed proved my point that the party is being run in a dictatorial manner,” he added.
In an interview to HT last month, Dhindsa Senior had said that Parkash Singh Badal should take back reins of the party, terming Sukhbir’s style of functioning as dictatorial and undemocratic. In 2018, he had resigned from all party posts and had said that he would not resign from the party a “he was a born Akali”.
{{/usCountry}}In an interview to HT last month, Dhindsa Senior had said that Parkash Singh Badal should take back reins of the party, terming Sukhbir’s style of functioning as dictatorial and undemocratic. In 2018, he had resigned from all party posts and had said that he would not resign from the party a “he was a born Akali”.
{{/usCountry}}Parminder who is avoiding public appearances for a fortnight, was incommunicado.
Reacting to Parminder’s action, party spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said, “It was expected from Parminder because his father was threatening him to leave us or he will disown him, to which he succumbed.”
“Our partymen had raised questions on his absence from party’s programmes but the high command was soft on him giving him time to settle things,” added Cheema.