AMRITSAR:The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today received a major boost in the Majha region with the family of Congress Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa, including the latter’s brother Harpinder Singh Rajan Gill, joining the SAD along with the entire rank and file of the party of several constituencies of the region.
Mr Harpinder Rajan Gill was welcomed into the SAD along with the Dimpa family members as well as a large number of Congress office bearers from various constituencies in the region by party President Sukhbir Singh Badal. He was appointed General Secretary of the SAD on the occasion. Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia was also present.
Announcing his exit from the Congress, Mr Rajan Gill said the entire Dimpa family was disgusted at the manner in which party tickets had been sold to the highest bidder. He said the principles of the Congress party had been thrown to the wind by giving the party ticket to a sand mining kingpin – Santokh Singh Bhalaipur from Baba Bakala even as Ramanjit Singh Sikki, who was behind the illicit hooch tragedy which claimed more than 100 lives, had been rewarded with the party ticket from Khadoor Sahib. He said it was due to such actions that his family members had decided to part ways with the Congress after serving it faithfully for more than sixty years right from the time of his grandfather and freedom fighter Gurdit Singh Shah to his father and former Beas mla Sant Singh Gill to the present generation. Mr Gill, while appealing to Congressmen to follow their conscience, said his elder brother and MP Jasbir Dimpa had supported his move and that the family had taken a joint decision to shift to the SAD.
Other prominent Congress leaders who joined the SAD on the occasion included Sainik Welfare Board Senior vice chairman Mandeep Singh, Jandiala municipal committee former Chairman Raj Kumar Malhotra, Tarn Taran Block Samiti Chairman Harsharan Kaur, Tarn Taran cooperative bank vice chairman Mehar Singh Chautala, Youth Congress leader Kulwant Behal, Raiya market committee former chairman Jaswant Singh Billa, Raiya councilor Sarabjit Mann and Zila Parishad member Dharambir Singh Verka. Amritsar East leaders including Sukhwinder Singh, Dalbir Singh and Inderjit Singh besides a large number of sarpanches and panchayat members also joined the SAD on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, SAD President Sukhbir Badal said with the joining of the Dimpa family and its entire team, the Congress had been effectively uprooted in the Majha region. “The contest in Majha has become totally one sided in favour of the SAD”, he said adding in coming days more Congressmen would join the SAD.
Mr Badal said there was extreme resentment in the Congress party at the manner in which the Congress trio of Harish Chaudhary, Navjot Sidhu and Charanjit Channi had sold party tickets. “This is why the Congress is being virtually dismantled in the State. Even kith and kin of senior leaders like Charanjit Channi and Rana Gurjit Singh have put up their family members as independents. You will now witness Mr Channi losing from both Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur. Navjot Sidhu has already lost the battle from Amritsar East. All that remains is his exit from the Congress on the day the results come in”.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bikram Majithia while welcoming Rajan Gill into the SAD said Congressmen were resentful at the manner in which mafia elements had been encouraged during Congress rule, how tickets had been sold and how the politics of hate was being spread in the State. He said the family of MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa was grounded among the people and that the Congress party had suffered a dent in Baba Bakala, Jandiala, Khadoor Sahib, Amritsar South, Amritsar East, Tarn Taran, Raja Sansi, Majitha, Ajnala and Attari seats.