PATIALA: A breakaway group of Akali Dal (Mann) led by its general secretary Charanjit Singh Walia a former Member of Parliament joined Akali Dal (Badal) al a Special function organized here Others besides Walia who shifted their loyalty to the Akali Dal (Badal) included members of the urban and rural district Akali Dal units of Patiala several employees organizations tehsil and block level leaders and a large number of sarpanches and panches. Giving the reasons for joining Dal (B) Walia said he found the policies and programs being undertaken by the Dal (B) in accordance with the needs of the hour He said this was the only party that possessed the capacity to unify Hindus and Sikhs into a political forces in Punjab

Welcoming the decision of the Walia group to join his party Parkash Singh Badal made a fervent appeal to senior leaders of the rival Akali Dal not to become stumbling blocks in the progress of his party and their political activities.

Badal said that his fight was against the misrule of Beant Singh as well the Central government He said his pany would continue its struggle to seek a solution to the Punjab problem through peaceful and democratic ways.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 17, 1994