 "Akali politics in full swing")
In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly polls, various factions of the Shiromani Akali Dal are exerting their influence in the national capital.
While the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) is aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but is still contesting two seats on its own for the first time, the other faction, SAD (Delhi), under Paramjit Singh Sarna, has thrown its weight behind the Congress. The Sarna-led faction had been ousted from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) by the Badal faction in January this year, after a decade in power.
All-India Congress Committee secretary Kuljit Singh Nagra speaking to reporters on Thursday, lashed out at SAD (Badal), alleging it was misusing a religious institution, the DSGMC, for political purposes.
The Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee polls earlier this year had seen a keen contest between the two sides, with many belonging to the SAD (Badal) travelling from Punjab to Delhi and pumping in resources here to ensure a victory. In fact, the Sarna faction on Thursday flocked to the chief minister’s residence to visibly extend their support to incumbent Sheila Dikshit.
The Congress has been quick to cash in on the deep divide that resulted with the SAD (Badal) and BJP alliance after sitting MLA Harsharan Singh Balli from Hari Nagar had to make way for the SAD who wanted to contest the seat independently. Congress promptly inducted Balli into the party and fielded him from Harinagar itself. The SAD( Badal) is contesting from Rajouri Garden and Hari Nagar.
The Sikh community with its large presence in the capital, has been a captive votebank for political parties.
Infact, the Congress too has got its Punjab Congress leaders to campaign for the party in the capital. Nagra alongwith other leaders like Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira have been actively canvassing in Delhi. The party has also appointed Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa as a star campaigner for the assembly elections.
While the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) is aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but is still contesting two seats on its own for the first time, the other faction, SAD (Delhi), under Paramjit Singh Sarna, has thrown its weight behind the Congress. The Sarna-led faction had been ousted from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) by the Badal faction in January this year, after a decade in power.
All-India Congress Committee secretary Kuljit Singh Nagra speaking to reporters on Thursday, lashed out at SAD (Badal), alleging it was misusing a religious institution, the DSGMC, for political purposes.
The Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee polls earlier this year had seen a keen contest between the two sides, with many belonging to the SAD (Badal) travelling from Punjab to Delhi and pumping in resources here to ensure a victory. In fact, the Sarna faction on Thursday flocked to the chief minister’s residence to visibly extend their support to incumbent Sheila Dikshit.
The Congress has been quick to cash in on the deep divide that resulted with the SAD (Badal) and BJP alliance after sitting MLA Harsharan Singh Balli from Hari Nagar had to make way for the SAD who wanted to contest the seat independently. Congress promptly inducted Balli into the party and fielded him from Harinagar itself. The SAD( Badal) is contesting from Rajouri Garden and Hari Nagar.
The Sikh community with its large presence in the capital, has been a captive votebank for political parties.
Infact, the Congress too has got its Punjab Congress leaders to campaign for the party in the capital. Nagra alongwith other leaders like Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira have been actively canvassing in Delhi. The party has also appointed Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa as a star campaigner for the assembly elections.
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