Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) is facing revolt from those sitting MLAs who are denied tickets in 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. Out of five such MLAs four have joined the Congress party. MLA Maheshinder Singh from Baghapurana and Rajwinder Kaur from Nihal Singh Wala joined the Congress party on Tuesday (December 07).
“In a major jolt to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), two of its sitting MLAs on Tuesday joined the Punjab Congress, extending to Captain Amarinder Singh their full support in the forthcoming Assembly elections” reads a statement issued by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).
Two SAD (B) MLAs join Congress in presence of Capt. Amarinder Singh
The SAD (Badal) is, however, underplaying the revolt as party chief Sukhbir Badal is repeatedly saying that its’ MLAs joining Congress won’t adversely affect SAD (B) and at the same time Congress won’t be able to take advantage of it in 2017 polls.
Media reports say that this kind of revolt would adversely affect SAD (B)’s prospects in upcoming polls.
Meanwhile, the development has also caused rumblings in the Congress as the party’s ticket aspirants apprehend that the party high command may weigh newcomers higher than them while granting party tickets for 2017 polls.