Seven rebel candidates are likely to return to their parent party Shiromani Akali Dal. Two Panthic Morcha candidates may also join the SAD that has won 157 of the 170 seats in the SGPC elections.
Sources said the SAD had initiated talks with the victorious seven rebel candidates as Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was of the view that since the rebels were essentially “Akalis at heart” and had rebelled because of local factors, they should be readmitted into the party fold.
Party sources say Independent candidate Hardeep Singh from Mohali could also be approached as he has proved his supremacy in a constituency which the SAD is keen to win in the assembly elections. This is the third win for Hardeep in the SGPC elections.
Two candidates who won on the Panthic Morcha symbol from Ambala are also keen to join the SAD. If these efforts by the SAD bear fruit, there will be only five or six opposition members in the SGPC, including the four SAD (Amritsar) members from Dhuri, Joga and Sri Hargobindpur. In such a situation the SAD is likely to have a free run in co-opting 15 members. A formal meeting of the SAD to constitute the next House as well as to elect the next SGPC president is likely to be delayed with the Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal leaving for Iran on September 25. This process will now be completed in the first week of October.
* Hardeep SinghIndependent candidate Hardeep Singh (see pic) from Mohali likely to be approached by SAD
* Hardeep has proved his supremacy in a constituency (Mohali) which the SAD is keen to win in the assembly elections
* 2 candidates who won on the Panthic Morcha symbol from Ambala are also keen to join the SAD
News Source: The Tribune.
