Punjab: Anil Joshi back in SAD after 7 months
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday received a shot in the arm with former cabinet minister Anil Joshi making a comeback into the party as well as joining its campaign for the Ludhiana West assembly by-election. Joshi had left SAD in November 2024 while alleging that the party was entangled only in religious and 'panthic' agenda, and had 'forgot' the real issues of Punjab.
Welcoming Joshi, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, 'We have a bond spanning two decades. It gives me immense happiness that Joshi has decided to rejoin the SAD in the interest of Punjab and Punjabiat. We all feel there is a need to bring back the era of peace and communal harmony and will strive for the same.'
Joshi said, 'It is the need of the hour to strengthen the regional party which alone understands and makes its programmes and policies as per the aspirations of Punjabis.' He said the SAD had always safeguarded the interests of Punjabis. He also spoke on the 'development and pro-poor policies' of the erstwhile Parkash Singh Badal-led government as well as 'rapid infrastructure build-up', including expressways and the international airport by Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Later, Badal also inducted former jathedar Harbhajan Singh Dang's brother Gurdeep Singh Rana Dang into the party. Rana Dang had contested the last municipal elections as an independent candidate.
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