CHANDIGARH: The office of the Akali Dal (Mann) functioning at the MLA flat no 38 in Sector 4 here has been closed.
According to party sources here the flat belonged to Mr Tahib Singh Sandu a former MLA who had handed it over to the party for use as office. Since Mr Sandhu had been denied the party ticket in the forthcoming elections he had retaliated by having the party evicted. Singh Burundi jathedar of the Akali Dal (M) (Rural) who too had been denied the ticket and is now contesting from a constituency in Ludhiana district as an Independent candidate.
The eviction from the flat was so sudden that it took the ‘staff by complete surprise. A photo state machine of the office had to be removed post haste to the residence of Capt. Chanan Singh Sidhu secretary of the party and a couple of typewriters were taken to the residence of Mrs Daljit Kaur sister of the Akali Dal (M) chief Mr Simranjit Singh Mann. The telephone installed at the party office was also disconnected and the instrument removed a table and a couple of chairs belonging to the party were yet to be salvaged from the flat.
Mr Mann himself is said to be holidaying at his Dalhousie residence and party sources said there was no way he could be contacted immediately.
Observers here say the closure of the Akali Dal (M) office has come at a very awkward time for the party which is in midst of preparing for the forthcoming elections in Punjab. This is bound to further erode the image of the party and cause a serious setback to the electoral prospects of its candidates who have still not quite recovered from the infighting over the distribution of the party ticket and the disintegration of the Dal into various factions. (TRIBUNE)
Article extracted from this publication >> May 17, 1991
