SAD's splitter group jolted

The SAD's breakaway faction SAD (Taksali) suffered a severe jolt Wednesday when the nephew of the splinter group's president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura joined the parent party.

Brahmpura's nephew Gurinder Singh Tony Brahmpura joined the SAD in presence of senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

Tony joined the Shiromani Akali Dal along with some local panchayat representatives and his wife Rupinder Kaur, who is a zila parishad member.

His family was welcomed into the Akali fold by Majithia and SAD's Khadoor Sahib candidate Bibi Jagir Kaur.

Tony said he got thoroughly disillusioned with the "so-called Taksali band" when he realised they were in reality "a Congress front".

"I have seen the functioning of this Taksali group closely and have no hesitation in admitting that they have sold their soul to the Congress party. Not only is this group being propped up by the Congress but it is also being financed by it," alleged Tony.

"This is why I quit them and decided to support the SAD and stand alongside the Sikh panth, he added.

Majithia said many of the families in Khadoor Sahib constituency who earlier voted Ranjit Singh Brahmpura consistently are now "feeling cheated".

He said the people were finding it "intolerable" that the Taksali (old guard) group has become a "Congress puppet" and is now working to "weaken" Sikh institutions and the SAD.

"The panthic people of this constituency will never let this conspiracy succeed. They will teach a lesson to those who have betrayed the panth for their petty interests, the Akali leader added.