Ranjit Singh Brahmpura to return to Akali Dal fold

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22

After parting ways with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) three years ago, several Taksali leaders led by former MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura will again join the SAD in the coming days.

Confirming the development, Brahmpura said he had acted on an appeal issued by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh who asked all Panthic forces to unite under a single banner. He said for the Sikhs, Akal Takht was supreme, so he could not ignore his appeal.

The Brahmpura faction, including Ujjagar Singh Badali, Mohinder Singh Hussainpur, Gopal Singh Jania, Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad and others welcomed the appeal. “We are born Akali and will stay Akali till the last breath. We are here to keep the Panthic thinking alive,” said Peer Mohammad.

The real trouble between two stalwarts of SAD (Sanyukt) Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura had started over the issue of forming alliance with the BJP. Brahmpura was consistently opposing Dhindsa faction’s plan to form an alliance with the saffron party.

In 2018, Brahmpura had levelled serious allegations against the SAD leadership, including its president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia. Following that, he was expelled from the party. Soon after, Brahmpura along with several other leaders floated the Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali), which was later merged with the SAD (Sanyukt).

Sources revealed that Brahmpura was in talks with the SAD leadership for the past several weeks and even the SAD had not announced a candidate from Khadoor Sahib. The seat was first represented by Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and later by his son Ravinder Singh Brahmpura.

Dhindsa snubs takht jathedar

SAD (Sanyukt) leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said the Akal Takht Jathedar should avoid indulging in politics directly. He said the Panth could never unite under the present leadership of Badals. He claimed Brahmpura was always keen to be ‘rehabilitated’ in the Badal-led SAD.