Dhindsa exit likely to hurt Akali Dal as party readies to counter Cong rally

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, resigned from all party posts on Saturday, citing health reasons, at a time when the party is preparing to take on Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in his home turf, Patiala. The SAD rally, slated on October 7, is in retaliation to a Congress rally scheduled on the same date, at Lambi in Muktsar, the stronghold of the Akali Dal's first family, the Badals, and the assembly constituency of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Dhindsa's resignation has put the Shiromani Akali Dal in a tight spot.

Many senior leaders in the party have, in the past, felt stifled by the style of functioning of Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who used to run the show when he was the deputy chief minister. The Badal family members always made it clear that the Akali Dal was a show of the Badals all the way, and nobody from outside the Badal dynasty could hope to land in a top spot. In fact, even the senior Badal's nephew Manpreet Badal was forced to leave the party, at a time when the people of Punjab were inclined to choose between him and Sukhbir.

Dhindsa, who held powerful cabinet portfolios and was the general secretary of the SAD for the longest period in the history of the party, is believed to have the wherewithal to make the Patiala rally a grand affair. Though he was requested to continue working in the party in whatever capacity he wished, Dhindsa said, “Thank you, but no, thank you”

The Akalis are fighting the Congress over an incident of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari, during the Akali regime in 2015. It happened after Giani Gurmukh Singh, the then jathedar (ordained leader) of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, had pardoned controversial godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of Dera Sacha Sauda. Akalis had clashed with Dera followers after Ram Rahim Singh imitated the Sikh gurus a few years earlier. The pardon had caused much anger in the state.

Himmat Singh, a former Granthi (priest) of the Golden Temple, had told the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission, appointed to probe the desecration incident, that the Dera chief was pardoned owing to the pressure from the Badals who wanted to woo Dera followers ahead of the assembly elections in February 2017. Later, Himmat wanted to retract his statement, but the Congress government in Punjab dismissed the retraction, leading to a confrontation between the Akalis and the government, and the rally and counter rally on October 7.

While Dhindsa declined to give any other reason for his decision to quit party posts, another senior leader, Jathedar Baldev Singh Makha from Mansa district, resigned from the party, also citing health reasons!