Hours after resigning as president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), prominent Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa joined the BJP Wednesday evening.Sirsa was considered close to the Badal family that heads the Shiromani Akali Dal and the move is seen as a blow to the panthic (followers of the Khalsa Panth) party ahead of the assembly elections in Punjab early next year.
Sirsa joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the BJP’s in-charge for the Punjab polls. After the formal joining, Sirsa was welcomed into the party by BJP chief J.P. Nadda in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Sirsa joining the BJP has come as a rude shock to the SAD. Till two days ago, Sirsa was tweeting support for SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal against AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. On 29 November, however, he had praised the Centre for repealing the three controversial farm laws in Parliament.The SAD has claimed that Sirsa was “forced to join” the BJP.
