UAD set to merge with Dhindsa Sr-led outfit

AMRITSAR :Nearly a week after its general secretary and former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Wassan Singh Zaffarwal stepped down, the United Akali Dal (UAD), one of the splinter Akali factions, is all set to merge with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) recently formed by Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.

The UAD, floated in 2014 and headed by former Damdami Taksal spokesperson Mohkam Singh, played a key role in organising Sarbat Khalsa (grand Sikh assembly) in November 2015, during which parallel jathedars of Sikh temporal seats were appointed. It got a jolt last year when its co-founder Gurdeep Singh Bathinda and his aides parted ways with Mohkam Singh.

Dhindsa floated his party on July 7 but he has remained in touch with the core leadership of the UAD. After paying obeisance at the Golden Temple on July 9, Dhindsa with his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa met Mohkam Singh and other key leaders of the group. However, the merger could not be finalised on the occasion.

Sources said the presence of Zaffarwal in the UAD was the main hurdle in the way of the merger as Dhindsa and his aides did not want to court any controversy by taking the former militant into the party fold. Interestingly, Zaffarwal resigned after a few days. Mohkam Singh said, “Our merger with the party led by Dhindsa has been finalised. All kinds of doubts between us have been removed to pave the way for the merger”.

A formal announcement of the merger is yet to be made. Sources said efforts are also being made to take the leaders who parted ways with Mohkam Singh into the fold.