JALANDHAR: The rebel Akali Leader, Kuldip Singh Wadala, who has been expelled from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) for six years, is keen on forming a new party. Speaking to media persons here last evening, he said that the SAD (B) had become hegemony of just three persons who were running the affairs of the party in a dictatorial style. He said that he had been left with no choices but to float a new party which would fight for the rights of the Sikhs. Challenging his expulsion from the party, saying it was ultra vires of the party constitution, he said those dubbing him a Khalistani were doing so to malign his image. Several party leaders, including former minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur, SGPC executive member, Sarup Singh Dhesi and Surjit Singh Cheema, while hailing his expulsion from the party, had alleged him to be a Khalistani. Wadala, it may be noted, is already on trial in a Ropar court under Sedition charges. But Wadala categorically stated, “T is not a Khalistani. I am for federal structure and greater autonomy to states,” He said his expulsion from the party announced by Prem Singh Chandumajra and Kirpal Singh Bhadunagar at Patiala last week, was neither approved by Badal nor by the party political affairs committee (PAC) which met at Ludhiana last week. At the same time he said the expulsion could be done only by the party working committee which, he added, had not met for quite some time. He said the party disciplinary committee headed by Jagdev Singh Talwandi could only recommend his expulsion from the working committee which alone was the competent body to take such a decision adding neither the party president nor the PAC were competent to order his expulsion as per the party constitution.
Wadala said the show cause weeks ago had not been received by him. But he also admitted that he, too, had not sent in his resignation in writing from the party posts since its announcement on August 31. Wadala, who had earlier been criticizing only Badal and SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra, also targeted Talwandi alleging the trio had hijacked the party to perpetuate their hold over it. Wadala, who is openly campaigning for the candidates opposed to the official candidates of the Badal Dal, said he did not think that the SGPC has become a den of corruption. But at the same time he leveled allegations of corruption against SGPC secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. He alleged that The Badal Dal candidate in Sunam had been given the lease of 18 acres of SGPC land for 30 years for a nominal Rs 100 at the behest of these two leaders. Similarly another candidate Mukhtar Singh Tandia had got the lease of 120 acres of the SGPC land, he added.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 9, 1996
