AMRITSAR: Vexed at Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leadership, the rebel veteran Akali leaders from Majha formally launched their own political party SAD (Taksali) with Ranjit Singh Brahampura as its president.The announcement of the new party was made after its members offered ardas at the Akal Takht. Barring around a dozen Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee members, the function was lacklustre in absence of any new heavyweights from SAD-B as boasted by the rebels.People gather at the Golden Temple premises during the launch of SAD (Taksali)Even one of their colleague Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa chose to stay away from the launch programme.Sewa Singh Sekhwan proposed the name of Khadur Sahib Lok MP Ranjit Singh Brahampura for the presidentship of the new outfit which was seconded by Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala .When asked about the absence of Dhindsa, Brahampura said, “We had appealed him to join the function and he had promised to come, he didn’t say no to us, instead he had assured that he is with us, now we will get to know whether he is with us or not.”Focusing his attack on Badal family, Brahampura said, ”Why everyone including innocents should seek pardon and there is a process of seeking forgiveness too, what SAD (B) leadership did were not mistakes but sins for which they should be punished.” He also advised Badal family to retire from the politics and leave the party.When asked how the SAD (Taksali) will survive given the fact that earlier also several breakaway faction of the party had emerged but none could make its presence felt, he said “Do you see the enthusiasm among our workers, none of the earlier SAD factions could have managed a gathering of over one hundred persons but today you can see the sea of people with us”. He claimed that SAD(Taksali) was a secular and people’s party and didn’t eulogises any particular person.Stating that they were yet in the process of registration of their party, Brahampura said they were not sure about contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.”I am not going to contest Lok Sabha elections and we will discuss whether the party should contest Lok Sabha elections or not, even for the panchayat elections we are not going to give any direction to our workers,” he said.The SAD (Taksali) leaders announced to adopt the constitution of SAD constituted on December 14, 1920 but they are yet to announce about their office bearers, infrastructure and even a detailed future course of action. However, the new party has set its eyes on minorities and schedule caste vote bank.However, the leaders of the new party said that they were proud to disassociate themselves from the SAD (Badal) which they claimed was now under the influence of Badal family and they had taken an arduous responsibility to serve people of Punjab with the guidelines and principles on which SAD was constituted in 1920.In an effort to woo the minorities and schedule castes, Brahampura told TOI on Sunday that after coming to power, they would give representation to Schedule Caste, Backward Class, Christians and Muslims in the government according to their population percentage.“Schedule castes constitute around 32% in Punjab and after coming to power, their representative would be made deputy chief minister of the state,” he said.He also opined that there was a need to provide sufficient work opportunities to prevent youth of Punjab from going abroad.“Our Akali Dal will represent the religious, political, social, economic and cultural aspirations of the panth and associated factions,” said Sewa Singh Sekhwan, one of the rebel Akali leader.Stating that they would contest the SGPC elections and upon winning they would ensure that SGPC works only in the field of religion. “None of its member would contest assembly or Parliament elections” he said.In a visible show of SAD (B) influence over the SGPC and its infrastructure, the rebel Akali leaders were not allowed to hold press conference at the information centre Golden Temple on Sunday.As these leaders were about to approach the information centre to meet journalists, the SGPC management deployed over a dozen members of its task force outside the information centre and also closed its door.However they provided a table to rebel Akali workers and also laid a red carpet for them.Brahampura tried to confront the SGPC staff and its task force but to no avail. He stood between the gate of information centre and blamed Badals for using SGPC and its infrastructure for their own political and personal purposes.

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