Patiala, Nov 6 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday received a boost ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, with former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and his son and ex-MLA Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra rejoining the party.
The father-son duo had on Wednesday quit SAD (Punar Surjit), a breakaway faction formed last year by rebel Akalis who opposed the leadership of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Welcoming the Chandumajra family back to SAD, Badal announced Harinderpal’s nomination as the party’s ‘halqa in-charge’ in Sanaur.
Harinderpal assured Badal that he would strive to strengthen the party in the constituency.
Assembly elections are due in Punjab early next year.
Badal expressed confidence that all Akali leaders who had left SAD for one reason or another would rejoin their mother party “in the interest of Punjab and the Panth”.
Speaking on the occasion, Prem Singh Chandumajra said he was influenced by the SAD president’s appeal for “Panthic unity against anti-Punjab forces such as the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party”.
He too appealed to all rebel Akali leaders to return to the mother party.
Prem Singh clarified that the December 2, 2024 ‘hukamnama’ (decree) of Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, had mandated that all Akali factions must unite.
He had announced his resignation from SAD (Punar Surjit) on Wednesday, dealing a blow to the Giani Harpreet Singh-led breakaway faction ahead of the crucial state elections.
In his resignation, Prem Singh had stressed that the convening of all Akali and Panthic groups on a common platform to safeguard the interests of Punjab and the Panth is the need of the hour.
He had said that SAD (Punar Surjit) president Giani Harpreet Singh’s public response to his appeal for Panthic unity has made him realise that “our thinking, ideology and working style are not aligned”.
“In view of this, I have decided to part ways with SAD (Punar Surjit). My commitment to safeguarding the interests of the Panth, Punjab, Punjabiat and the rights of Punjab remains as firm as ever,” he had said.
Before the Chandumajras, several other leaders had parted ways with SAD (Punar Surjit).
This included former minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, former MLA Iqbal Singh Jhundan and former Akali leader Barjinder Singh Brar.
Rakhra had joined the AAP, Ayali and Jhundan joined the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), and Brar had returned to SAD.
(PTI News)
