Chandigarh – In a historic development, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today received a major boost when the splinter Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) led by its president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa merged into it in the presence of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal “to strengthen the Panth and Punjab”.
Terming the merger as a joint responsibility to bring Punjab back on the rails, SAD (Sanyukt) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said “there was an overwhelming feeling among our leaders and workers to merge with the SAD to effect unity in the Panth. Moreover the entire party felt that Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed heartfelt remorse for the cases of sacrilege which occurred in 2015. Accordingly I called a meeting of the party’s district presidents yesterday and they gave the go ahead for the merger”.
Earlier the SAD president visited the residence of Mr Dhindsa along with the senior leadership of the party as well as the entire leadership of Sangrur district. Later addressing the media at Mr Dhindsa’s residence, Mr Sukhbir Badal termed the merger as a “merger of two families”. He also appealed to Mr Dhindsa to take on responsibility as Patron of the SAD since he was the senior most Akali leader after the demise of S Parkash Singh Badal. He said Mr Dhindsa, along with senior leaders like Mr Balwinder Singh Bhundar, had built the SAD along with Mr Parkash Singh Badal at great personal cost. He also assured all the leaders of the SAD (Sanyukt) who joined the SAD today including Shiromani Committee members affiliated with the SAD (Sanyukt) of complete respect and honour. He also welcomed former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa into the party fold on the occasion while appreciating the leader’s contribution towards Punjab.
Mr Badal also issued a clarion appeal to all SAD leaders who had left the party on one pretext or another, to rejoin it saying “the SAD alone is capable of safeguarding the aspirations of Punjabis”. During this heartfelt appeal, the SAD president in all humbleness even joined his hands and said “I am ready to apologize to everyone”. Answering a media query, Mr Badal again repeated “I appeal to Bibi Jagri Kaur ji with folded hands to return back to the party fold”.
Earlier Mr Sukhdev Dhindsa when questioned by newsmen said he had rejoined the SAD along with his party members because the circumstances in Punjab warranted the same. “You have seen what happened in the Vidhan Sabha yesterday. Punjabis have never witnessed a chief minister behaving in this fashion. Moreover the complete breakdown of law and order and discrimination against farmers as well as the disadvantaged sections and trade and industry needs to be countered with Akali unity”. He also asserted that he had always treated Mr Sukhbir Badal as his son and had proposed his name to head the SAD.
Senior SAD (Sanyukt) leaders who rejoined the party include Sarwan Singh Philllaur, Parkash Chand Garg, Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas, Justice (retd) Nirmal Singh, Sukhdev Singh Sarao, Manjit Singh Dasuha, Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh and SGPC members Jasdev Singh, Rampal Singh, Malkiat Singh and Baldev Singh Chunghan.