JALANDHAR: The newly formed Akali Dal (Panthic) has offered to project Simranjit Singh Mann as their candidate for the president ship of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) or as the leader of their legislature party, if he joins hands with them. Stating this here July 29th, Jasbir Singh Rode, senior leader of the Dal (Panthic), said that while his party would not change their leader, Ajit Singh, but is willing to offer Mann either of the two posts in the event of their alliance winning the elections. Reacting to Mann’s announce _ ment made Sunday in which he had said that the SAD (Mann) would not ally with any party for the SGPC poll and nor would it be a part of any political front formed for the purpose of con testing the SGPC or Assembly elections. Commenting on Mann’s assertion that it would have no agreement with the Akali Dal (Panthic) because he viewed them as “Congress forces by virtue of their having struck an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which is an ally of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh Rode said that Mann should not be making such irresponsible Statements because political compulsions can force one to ally with their enemies too.
He said that since the youth wing of SAD (MANN) has already joined the Dal (Panthic) and it is in the interest of the panth that he should take back his hasty words and consider the possibility of joining us so as to defeat the SAD (Badal). He further said that in the event of Mann agreeing to their offer, the SAD (Panthic) would with draw the claim of Prof Darshan Singh, former jathedar of the Akal Takht and patron of the Dal.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1996
