CHANDIGARH: Akali Dal split into two with dissidents forming a Separate group of 27 legislators in the Vidhan Sabha. The split has reduced Barnala government to a minority. The speaker Mr.Ravi Inder Singh recognized the dissident group as a separate political party and ruled that since the group consists of more than one third original Akali Dal members of the Vidhan Sabha its member do not incur any disqualification under para three of the tenth schedule of the constitution. The Punjab Cabinet in an emergent meeting decided to seek the removal of the speaker. Mr Surjit Singh Barnala’s support now stands reduced to 45 members, excluding the speakr in a house of 116. One seat is vacant. The Barnala government has however no immediate threat to its existence as the Congress I BJP and CPI collectively having 31 members have already extended their support to the CPM.
The group of twenty-seven dissidents includes the three ministers Mr. Sukhjinder Singh Captain Amarinder Singh Mr. Sucha Singh Chhotepur who were Expelled from the Akali Dal the Same day for their anti-party activities The ministers have challenged their expulsion on the ground that they were not issued any show cause notice and described the decision as undemocratic un-constitutional and illegal. The dissident’s leaders Mr. Parkash S Badal a Sukhjinder Singh announced the party could remain united if Mr. Barnala and Mr. Balwant Singh step down as they had committed unpardonable sin of sending the police in the Golden Temple. Mr. Barnala who headed the seventy-three strong Akali legislature party before the Split has the support of at least two of the four independent MLA’S.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 17, 1991
