Chandigarh: Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) incharge of Gidderbaha assembly segment, who had quit the party on Sunday announced on Monday that he would soon be joining ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Dhillon, 56, who was considered a trusted aide of SAD president Sukhbir Badal, had quit the party alleging that his political inning of about four decades with the SAD was sacrificed by ‘nepotism and designs of hobnobbing with political rivals” – meaning BJP. He further held that he felt suffocated in the party because of the non-transparent political developments initiated by the party leadership.
Akali Dal Halqa Incharge from Gidderbaha, Dimpy Dhillon, is likely to join the Aam Aadmi Party. Yesterday, he resigned from the Akali Dal, and today, while addressing his supporters, he hinted at joining AAP. pic.twitter.com/qPzoUzf0tH
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) August 26, 2024
The development is being seen as yet another blow to the SAD ahead of the bypolls to four assembly seats from where legislators of different parties have made to Lok Sabha in the recently held general elections – these assembly constituencies are Dera Baba Nanak, Chhabewal, Barnala and Gidderbaha. Gidderbaha seat fell vacant after the state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring quit as MLA after getting elected to an MP from Ludhiana.
Notably, Gidderbaha, which falls in Muktsar is the home district and electoral bastion of Badals – Akali patriarch and former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal got elected from Gidderbaha seat for a record five times in a row.
However, he later handed over this seat to his nephew Manpreet Badal, who also got elected from this seat four times in a row. Manpreet later shifted to BJP. Dhillon unsuccessfully contested from this seat for three consecutive times since 2012.
Reacting to Dhillon’s announcement, Sukhbir Badal has asked him to rethink his decision of quitting the party. Stating that he was SAD’s candidate for the Gidderbaha bypoll, Sukhbir held that he would wait for 10 days before taking a decision on the development.
It may be recalled that SAD had also recently suffered a `revolt’ by some of its senior leaders against Sukhbir Badal whom they alleged did not represent Panthic sentiments which had also led to the party’s drubbing in the recent elections. Sukhbir, however, has expelled several of these `rebel’ leaders from the party.
