Shiromani Akali Dal: The conspiracy to break the party was hatched much before the order of Akal Takht

Punjab: The SAD on Thursday alleged that rebel Akali leaders had hatched a conspiracy to split the party much before the Akal Takht order directing the party to hold membership drive and organisational elections to elect office bearers. The party also alleged that SAD breakaway faction chief Giani Harpreet Singh was part of the conspiracy despite the latter having “decided” on a complaint against party president Sukhbir Badal. Giani Harpreet Singh was one of the five prominent Sikh clerics who had pronounced the order on December 2 last year when he was the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib. The allegation comes a day after the breakaway faction held a parallel show of strength in Sangrur on the 40th death anniversary of former SAD president Harchand Singh Longowal.

SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said dissident leader Prem Singh Chandumajra told the gathering that the conspiracy to form the breakaway faction was hatched at the residence of late Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. He and other Akali Dal leaders, including Maheshinder Singh Grewal, urged Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj to take cognizance of this “unintentional confession”. The leaders alleged that the conspiracy was hatched in the presence of Surjit Singh Rakhra, Bibi Jagir Kaur and Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Terming it a “big betrayal” of the Akal Takht, they said it was now clear that Giani Harpreet Singh had gone to Dhindsa’s Chandigarh residence to participate in the talks at a time when he was “delivering a verdict on a complaint filed by the same leaders against Sukhbir.”