Jalandhar, June 19: Days after the two main Akali factions announced unity, fresh problems seemed to be emerging for the political formation with former Punjab speaker and senior Akali leader Ravi Inder Singh saying a "new Akali Dal" would be announced today.
On June 13, former Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Parkash Singh Badal and Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra had announced unity of their factions.
Following a meeting of some senior Akali leaders here, Inder said it had been decided to announce the formation of a "new Akali Dal on the basis of the principles on which SAD was formed in 1920".
Before July 19, three conferences would be held at Bhatinda, Amritsar and Ludhiana to "motivate" people to join the new Akali Dal, he said.
"As former Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has totally failed to protect the rights of Akalis and is busy earning money through corruption, the senior Akali leaders including former SGPC chief Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Kuldip Singh Wadala, Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode and others have decided to form a new Akali Dal for the betterment of the Sikh Panth," he said.



Inder was a loyalist of Tohra before the merger, but was opposed to Badal. He said the leadership of the new party would be decided only after July 19.


Bureau Report