SAD core committee accepts demand to expel Dhindsa father-son duo

The SAD core committee has accepted party workers' demand to expel senior Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhinda and his Parminder Singh Dhindsa from the outfit, said former minister Daljit Singh Cheema here on Monday.

The father-son duo were earlier suspended for "anti-party" activities.

On Sunday, the Shiromani Akali Dal had oragnised a rally in Sangrur, where party workers had reportedly adopted a resolution for the expulsion of both from the Akali Dal.

"The core committee (of SAD) today accepted sentiments of the party workers who were seeking their expulsion," said SAD spokesperson Cheema.

He further said the core committee, SAD's highest decision making body, would go by the decision taken by the party workers at the Sangrur rally.

The meeting of the core committee was chaired by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In the Sangrur rally, the SAD leadership had accused the Dhindsas of backstabbing the party.

Veteran Akali leader and Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had rebelled against the party leadership, especially its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a bid to "liberate" the SAD from the Badal family and "revive its lost glory".

Sukhdev Dhindsa joined hands with SAD splinter groups, including the SAD (Taksali).

Toeing his father's line, his son and former Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa too resigned from the post of the party leader in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, questioning the "lack of internal democracy" within the Akali Dal.

In another decision, the party also decided to hold protest rallies against the Congress-led government in the state for "not keeping" poll promises at Amritsar on February 11, Ferozepur on February 25 and Anandpur Sahib on March 9.