Former Akali Dal MLA, kin of Capt Kanwaljit join AAP
Sunday, 14/08/2016
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/politics/former-akali-dal-mla-kin-of-capt-kanwaljit-join-aap/280390.html
Chandigarh : Ending an over 45-year-long association with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Balbir Singh Batth (74), a three-time MLA from Sri Hargobindpur, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here today.
Late Akali leader Capt Kanwaljit Singh’s wife Sarbjeet Kaur and daughter Manpreet Kaur, besides singer Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, also entered the AAP fold. A local political outfit, Secular Lok Raj, led by former Congress leader Harchand Singh Barsath, announced its unconditional merger with AAP.
Batth said Taksali Akalis like him had been ignored for long by the SAD, which had become a fiefdom of the Badal family. “Despite being a member of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), I was not invited to any meeting in the past four years. I have joined AAP because I share the party’s political ideals,” he said.
The ex-MLA added that he had sent his resignation to SAD president Sukhbir Badal.
Later, replying to queries on the protest by AAP volunteers against the ticket allotment for 19 seats, state political affairs incharge Sanjay Singh said, “We make it clear to every person who joins us that if his aim is only to get the ticket, then he should go elsewhere.”
“We are open to talks, but anyone who creates indiscipline will have to leave the party,” he added.
AAP state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who addressed a press conference with other leaders for the first time since the party announced the candidates, said he was yet to meet national convener Arvind Kejriwal regarding his objections to some names in the first list.
