New Delhi, Mar 08: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Parkash Singh Badal today visited former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra at his home in New Delhi and exchanged hugs with him in what was seen as a potential sign of unity between the two warring leaders. Badal struck a positive note for a patch-up as he recalled Tohra's ''contributions to the Panth (Sikh faith)'' at a religious ceremony attended by the top Akali brass from both the factions.

''I have always favoured unity for the welfare of the panth,'' he told the ceremony organised at Tohra's home for his early recovery from a heart surgery.

Today's Badal-Tohra meeting was second in less than a month's time after their surprise one-to-one meeting last month with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani over clemency for a death-row prisoner.
Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, secretary-general of Badal's party, and other senior leaders of SAD (B) expressed optimism about a patch-up, but the other side had had its reservations over Akali unity unless the contentious issues that triggered their split were ''fully addressed''. Bureau Report