BATHINDA: After announcing the candidature of Mr. Prem Singh Lal pura as the party candidate for the president ship of the SGPC against Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who is seeking reelection for the 20th time, the Akali Dal (Badal) launched its campaign in the traditional stronghold of the Akalis here Nov. 13.

The party President, Mr, Parkash Singh Badal, met a number of SGPC members in Bathinda and Faridkot districts to seek their support for his candidate, this is for the first time that Mr. Badal has fielded his candidate for the post against his friend turned foe, Mr. Tohra. Mr. Badal expressed the hope that Mr. Lal pura would win the election with a comfortable majoritytoendthe“monopoly’’of Mr. Tohra. To a question, Badal said that he had not received any letter from the Akal Takht Chief Mr. Manjit Singh, so far, “I have read it in “he added. He said that he had all respect for Akal Takht and Prof. Manjit Singh.

When asked) about the offer of Tohra made at Dhilwan (Ludhiana) in which he expressed his willing Hess to retire from the contest for ever if Badal and his associates appeared before Akal Takht and seek forgiveness. Badal said that he had already done so and Prof Manjit Singh permitted him to keep separate identity for the Akali Dal (Badal) The Takht chief had stated that “I should seek the people’s mandate for this, which I had/already got in the Ajnala by election. The Akali Dal (Badal) had emerged strongest and real ‘one, he claimed.

Earlier while addressing a medical camp, Badal said that he would make earnest efforts to make his Akali Dal secular one, “Though I faced criticism, membership of the Akali Dal had been opened to all communities, including Hindus, Muslims and Christians.

However, in a joint press statement four members of the SGPC, Hakam Singh Grewal, Giani Gopal Singh, and Bhag Singh laid and Gurdev Singh Bhopal condemned the statement of Badal that members of the SGPC were being kidnapped by Tohra’s group. They said that most of the committee members were with Tohra and Badal should withdraw his candidate from the contest in the larger interest of the “panth.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 18, 1994