Tohras in SAD, Sukhbir says Badal happiest over return

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 20

Ending ties with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the family of “Panth Rattan” late Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra rejoined the Shiromani Akali Dal in the presence of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal here today.

Tohra’s daughter Bibi Kuldeep Kaur, her husband Harmel Singh Tohra and her son Harinder Singh Tohra rejoined the SAD without any pre-conditions.

Accusing the AAP of ignoring the family, especially after the 2017 state Assembly poll, Harmel Tohra said their family had always contributed to the SAD and would now work to strengthen it in the LS poll.

Bibi Kuldeep Kaur, who fought the Assembly poll on the AAP ticket, said the family had been in talks with the SAD to sort out differences for quite some time. 

The Tohras had left SAD and joined AAP just before the Assembly poll in 2017. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who died in 2004, had been the SGPC president for 27 years besides remaining a Member of Parliament for 26 years.

Welcoming the Tohra family back into the party fold, Sukhbir Badal said the homecoming of the Tohras would strengthen SAD’s prospects in the LS poll.

“Gurcharan Tohra, who played a key role in the party’s formation, made an unmatched contribution to the SAD. Parkash Singh Badal was upset after his family joined AAP, but he (Badal) would be the happiest person today,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sharanjeet Singh Jogipur also joined the Akali Dal. The Congress leader had joined AAP before the 2017 Assembly poll after being ignored for the Ghanour seat.