After expulsion from Akali Dal, Ajnalas face revolt from workers

› Ajnalas betrayed the party, despite enjoying several privileges for years because of their allegiance to the party. SAD and SGPC leaders

AMRITSAR: Three days after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) expelled its MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, his son Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala and his son Bonny Ajnala from the party, senior Akali leadership and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members from Ajnala constituency on Wednesday announced their unwavering support to the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In a joint statement, several SAD leaders, including SGPC executive committee member Amreek Singh Vishoa, SGPC member Kuldeep Singh Tera, accused the Ajnalas of betraying the party, despite enjoying unparalleled privileges for years because of their allegiance to the party. They said that party patron and former CM Parkash Singh Badal and party president Sukhbir singh Badal has always showered the Ajnala family with huge favours, from ensuring party tickets for assembly and parliamentary polls to giving coveted posts in the party as well as in the SAD-BJP government. “The Ajnala family returned all these favours with an opportunistic act of betrayal and ingratitude,” they added.

The SAD leaders said party discipline was sacrosanct for the leaders as well as workers. The leaders said it was the grit and determination of party workers that had led to successive victories of Rattan Singh Ajanala. They said party workers stood by Ajnalas on the directions of Badal senior and the SAD president. The leaders said Badals were kind enough to award the party ticket to Rattan Ajnala’s son Amarpal Bony. They said another son of Ajanala was even made director of a bank. Senior Ajnala said, “Now we are expelled from party, Akali workers can do whatever they want.” Bonny said, “Those who revolted against our family are like our family members. They are under pressure of Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia.”