Sad (longowal) to merge into ruling akal

Lily

B.R
Staff member
SAD (LONGOWAL) TO MERGE INTO RULING AKALI DAL


Amritsar March 7:
The five-year-old Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal), headed by former Akali minister Inderjit Singh Zira, is likely to merge into ruling Shiromani Akali Dal before the forthcoming Parliament elections.

The preliminary negotiations between Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister and SAD supremo, and Zira took place in a closed-door meeting at the residence of the former at Chandigarh on March 4 in which pre-conditions were worked out.

However, it is learnt that Zira has already informed Sukhbir that he was not interested in contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. However, the Deputy CM assured Zira that the rank and file of the SAD (Longowal) would be properly adjusted in the ruling Akali Dal. Zira confirmed that meeting with Sukhbir was held. However, he parried a direct question about the time and place of the merger of both SADs.

However, Gurwinder Singh Shampura, an SGPC member and close confidant of Zira, denied that he would join the ruling party. In yet another significant movement, Amrik Singh Aliwal, a former Akali MP from Ludhiana, also held a separate meeting with the Deputy CM at Chandigarh. Talking to reporters Aliwal also confirmed that he met the Deputy CM. However, he said the final decision to rejoin the parent Akali Dal could be taken only after concrete assurance.

Aliwal said he and his close relative, Harnirpal Singh Kukku, a former Akali MLA from Muktsar, would take joint decision regarding joining of any party. Kukku however denied that he had yet taken any decision to join the ruling Akali Dal so far. The SAD (Longowal) was formed during the previous LS elections with Prem Singh Chandumajra its founder president. However, when Chandumajra re-joined the ruling Akali Dal, Zira became its president.

Zira has been Akali minister twice. His father Gurdip Singh remained member of the SGPC for about 25 years. His grandfather Ujjagar Singh was jailed during Jaiton Morcha. Zira had resigned as cabinet minister alongwith four other ministers during tug-of -war between Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the then SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

However, the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, floated by Tohra, merged into the ruling Akali Dal and he (Tohra) was again made president of SGPC as part of merger formula.
 
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