Taksalis want Sidhu to lead them in next Assembly poll

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 20

In an interesting turn of events, rebel Akali leaders today extended an open invitation to Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu to be their “CM candidate” during the 2022 Assembly elections.

Overwhelmed by the response the Taksalis received during the “Safar-e-Akali Lehar” programme in New Delhi recently, SAD (Taksali) secretary general Sewa Singh Sekhwan today said the aim was to free the SAD and Sikh institutions from the Badals.

“To broaden our sphere for the 2022 Assembly elections, we have been in touch with those who are devoted to the welfare of the state. Sidhu is on the top of our list. We will welcome him even if he wants to lead us in the next elections. The party has already asked Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala to approach Sidhu. If he agrees, we will go barefoot to receive him as our CM candidate,” he said.

The Taksalis have also been approaching “dejected” Akali leaders, who had been “feeling ignored” or were “shunted out in an alleged autocratic manner”.

“Political equations tend to change. Had anyone guessed that DSGMC rivals Manjit Singh GK and Paramjit Singh Sarna, SAD (Delhi) president, would ever come on a common platform? But it happened during the Delhi conclave. Similarly, Dhindsa father-son duo came with us openly. In the days to come, more leaders from Punjab, including senior Akalis, will join us. We are also in touch in like-minded leaders from other parties to offer the people of Punjab a third alternative,” he said.